A variety of Motown alumni returned to Hitsville USA today (Jan.
12) -- in Studio A, which the Four Tops' Abdul "Duke" Fakir
referred to as "hallowed ground" -- to officially kick off a
year-long celebration of the famed label's 50th anniversary.
Fakir was joined by other Detroit-based Motown artists, including
Bobby Rogers of the Miracles, Rosalind Ashford of Martha & the
Vandellas and Rare Earth's Gil Bridges, Funk Brothers Uriel Jones,
Ivy Joe Hunter and Dennis Coffey, producer/arrangers Paul Riser and
Johnny Allen, Motown manners coach Maxine Powell and songwriter
Melvin Moore. Many will spend the week as celebrity docents at the
Motown Historical Museum, housed in the company's original
Hitsville Headquarters in midtown Detroit, as part of an In Their
Own Words series.
"Fifty years is a wonderful anniversary," Fakir told Billboard.com.
"You've got to give credit to the songs, but of course you've got
to give credit to (Motown found) Berry Gordy for the vision. He had
the whole vision, and he made it come true. It's just great to be
part of that legacy and still be alive to talk about it."
Today marked 50 years since Gordy borrowed $800 from his family to
start his own label. Gordy did not attend Monday's event but sent a
message that was ready by Robin Terry, his grand-niece and CEO of
the Motown museum. Gordy said he was "honored" by the celebration
and noted that, "Motown music was for everybody, and it grew out of
love. It has spread around the world and has become part of the
culture and consciousness in all seven continents, and it all
started right here."
Federal, state, county and local government officials appeared at
the ceremony, each delivering a proclamation declaring Monday as
Motown Day in their respective jurisdictions. The State of Michigan
proclamation also "encouraged all citizens to...grab your favorite
record and sing along."
Many of the artists expressed deep emotions, some with tears in
their eyes, as they looked at the images and instruments around
them. Funk Brothers drummer Jones noted that "I just hate to think
what my life would've been like without Motown," while Rare Earth's
Bridges said that "being with Motown is a very spiritual thing for
me...I still am in awe of being part of this family." Hunter,
meanwhile, brought things to a close by declaring, "God bless the
dream. God bless the dreamer. God bless the result."
A variety of projects will mark Motown's 50th anniversary
celebration. Gordy and former executive Suzanne DePasse are working
on a feature-film documentary that will likely debut in September,
as well as a series of long-form DVDs and archival album releases
to follow the December release of the "Motown: The Complete No.
1's" box set. A Broadway musical is set for 2010.
A special Marvin Gaye exhibit is expected to open later this year
at a facility outside Detroit, and the Motown museum is partnering
with the Smithsonian Institution for a traveling exhibit that's
slated to hit the road in 2010. The museum will also be displaying
Annie Lebovitz's photos for Vanity Fair's Motown story in the
months ahead.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum in Cleveland has also
joined the party with Motown: The Sound of Young American Turns 50,
an exhibit that opened Jan. 1 and will run for the entire year.
Hallmark Gold Crown stores are selling a line of Recordable Cards
for Valentine's Day featuring Motown music, as well as a 10-song CD
compilation "Heart & Soul -- Celebrating 50 Years of Motown."
