Happy 50th, Motown!

(Berry Gordy, Jr.; Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; Gordy in front of the Motown Building on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit)
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Exactly 50 years today, on January 12, 1959, Berry Gordy founded a small record label, Tamla Records, in Detroit, Michigan. The following year, Tamla Records was incorporated as Motown Records. (The name Tamla was taken from the Debbie Reynold's hit song, "Tammy", and Motown was a combination of "Motor Town", the nickname for Detroit, which was the headquarters for the Ford Motor Company.)

(The Marvelettes; "Hitsville U.S.A.': The Motown Building; The Four Tops; Mary Wells)

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(Marvin Gaye; The Supremes; Stevie Wonder)

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Berry Gordy started as a songwriter for local Detroit acts, and his "Lonely Teardrops" for Jackie Wilson was a huge hit. But he quickly realized that he could make more money if he produced his own records and owned the publishing. With an $800 loan from his family, Gordy started Tamla Records and first signed the Matadors, fronted by Smokey Robinson, and changed their name to The Miracles. Success came quickly. Tamla scored in 1959 with Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" which reached #2 on the Billboard R&B charts, followed by it's first #1 single on the R&B charts with the Miracles' "Shop Around" in 1960. The following year Motown earned it's first #1 on the Billboard Pop Charts with The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman". From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 Top Ten hits by The Supremes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Temptations, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and many others.

(Martha Reeves and the Vandellas; The Jackson 5; The Supremes; The Temptations)

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Motown eventually left Detroit to move to Los Angeles in 1972, formed several entertainment divisions, including one for film, producing hit movies for Diana Ross, "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972), and Mahogany (1975). Today Motown exists in a merge with Universal Records and is known as the Universal Motown Records Group, with artists such as India.Arie, Erykah Badu and Mya.

(Berry Gordy, Jr., flanked by Smokey Robinson and Martha Reeves in 2007 when a section of West Grand Boulevard in Detroit was renamed "Berry Gordy, Jr. Boulevard")

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If all you care about is pop music, then the importance of Motown in the history of American Popular Music is secure. Historically, Motown was the first record label owned by an African American which primarily featured African American artists which had crossover success in the "White" market. As a hit-maker, Motown was unrivaled for many years, turning out more Top Ten Hits than any other record label, and today is known as the soundtrack of a generation.

More importantly, Motown's success not only paved the way for racial integration in the field of popular music, but helped to pave the way for the racial integration of an entire nation. At Motown concerts, whites and blacks sat together for the first time in a public building. Many are still in awe that America has elected a Black man as President, and while Barack Obama has many to thank for his achievement, Motown's success was certainly one of the social forces which helped to open doors for a Barack Obama to later walk through.

Congratulations Berry Gordy and Motown, and thank you for giving us some of the greatest pop songs of all time!