tamla
In June 1958, Barry Gordy Jr. founded Tamla Records, the first step in the creation of his iconic Motown label. Motown’s story has been told many times, so I am instead going to focus on why it is special to me. At its onset, Motown was renowned for the "Motown sound," a polished style of pop music that spawned countless chart-topping hits for groups like the Supremes, the Temptations, and the Miracles. This dignified sound aligned with the image Gordy wanted his stars to project, viewing their breakthrough into the white popular music market as an opportunity to combat the prejudices held by many Americans in that time.
Amidst all this success, artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder began to push for more creative control and more lyrical risk-taking. Though Gordy was hesitant at first, he allowed these artists more freedom, resulting in some of the most innovative and powerful music ever created. With 1971's What's Going On, Gaye used his broad platform as a pop star to speak openly on issues black Americans faced each day. Wonder followed suit, recording songs highlighting issues as varied as political corruption, injustice, and mass incarceration. These albums were not merely thought-provoking, they were sonically excellent and came to be regarded as some of the best albums of all-time.
In this post, I hope to celebrate the creative spirit and iconic taste of some of Motown's greatest artists.
the smokey
the marvin
the stevie
Photo Sources
Top Section (Clockwise from Top Left)
Getty Images (n.d.). Stevie Wonder. [Web] GQ UK. Available at: www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/stevie-wonder-songs.
Marvin Gaye, The Midnight Special, Atlanta ’74. (1974). [Web] Pinterest. Available at: www.pinterest.com/pin/743023638544164754/.
The Four Tops. (n.d.). [Web] Tumblr. Available at: 70sbestblackalbums.tumblr.com/image/108240134334.
Detroit Nightclub in 1964. (1964). [Web] Financial Times. Available at: www.ft.com/content/cf5e0372-eb70-11e5-bb79-2303682345c8.
The Temptations. (n.d.). [Web] Goldmine Magazine. Available at: www.goldminemag.com/articles/a-temptations-take-on-motown.
Features, R. (1965). Stevie Wonder in London. [Web] GQ UK. Available at: www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/stevie-wonder-songs.
Ogburn, D. (1988). David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks From The Temptations in Baltimore, MD. [Web] Osmos Online. Available at: www.osmos.online/david-ogburn.
Pictorial Press Ltd. (1968). Diana Ross and the Supremes. [Web] Pinterest. Available at: www.pinterest.com/pin/77757531058548814/.
Bottom Section (Clockwise from Top Left)
Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. (n.d.). [Web] Pinterest. Available at: www.pinterest.com/pin/743023638545296921/.
The Motown Museum (n.d.). Gordy with the Supremes and Holland, Dozier, and Holland outside of Hitsville. [Web] The Telegraph. Available at: s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/berry-gordy-motown/index.html.
Smokey Robinson. (n.d.). [Web] Old Reddit. Available at: old.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCoolMusic/comments/vo17tk/smokey_robinson/.
Marvin Gaye. (n.d.). [Web] Pinterest. Available at: www.pinterest.com/pin/743023638544155875/.
Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. (n.d.). [Web] Pinterest. Available at: www.pinterest.com/pin/743023638544424794/.
Stevie Wonder. (n.d.). [Web] Pinterest. Available at: www.pinterest.com/pin/743023638544155877/.
Diana Ross and the Supremes. (n.d.). [Web] Pinterest.
Berry Gordy and Michael Jackson. (n.d.). [Web] CBS News. Available at: www.cbsnews.com/pictures/legends-of-motown/34/.
David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks. (n.d.). [Web] Tumblr. Available at: vintageblack2.tumblr.com/post/84951533945/temptationsluver444-i-love-this-picture-of.