The sky is not the limit. The sky is the first stop. That optimistic outlook is how Motown founder Berry Gordy has approached every project he’s been associated with. First, it was a label; then an entertainment conglomerate. Motown held its own against the onslaught of the British Invasion. Starting with “The Sound of Young America” and evolving into “Psychedelic Soul,” Gordy always surrounded himself with the best people. He didn’t worry about skin color or gender. He hired the people who could deliver the best results. Let’s look at five fascinating Berry Gordy facts.
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1. He Adapted Henry Ford’s Assembly Line Concept to Entertainment
As a child, Berry Gordy Jr. was always fascinated by the fact we are all the same. White and Black people both hurt when they stubbed their toes. They both laughed when they heard a joke. He saw the similarities in everyone.
Gordy delivered papers, shined shoes, was a boxer, wrote songs, and eventually opened a record store. His desire to sell jazz and not adapting to the music his customers were requesting led to the failure of the business. He got a job at the Ford Motor Company at the Lincoln-Mercury plant. While working on the assembly line, Gordy honed his songwriting skills. He also envisioned a way to transform the idea of assembly line production into entertainment. Songwriters and producers, arrangers, A&R, dance instructors, quality control, etc. He utilized his boxing background to encourage competition within the company and remembered his record store experience regarding giving the people what they wanted. Some friends and family thought he was crazy, but we all know the results.
2. Gordy Co-Wrote “Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You Ever Want to Meet)” and “Lonely Teardrops” for Jackie Wilson
Gordy’s sister Gwendolyn connected the young songwriter to emerging soul singer Jackie Wilson. The siblings and Billy Davis supplied Wilson with some of his biggest hits. They also wrote “All I Could Do Was Cry” for Etta James and “You Got What It Takes” for Marv Johnson.
3. Gordy Discovered Smokey Robinson
A group was auditioning for Jackie Wilson’s manager. Gordy listened as they performed and was impressed by the lead singer. Wilson’s manager was not interested. Gordy approached William “Smokey” Robinson in the hallway and complimented their sound. Robinson was familiar with the songwriter’s name when he introduced himself after reading it on record labels.
Gordy asked if the young singer had any more songs. He had a huge notebook filled with them. Gordy said you have to have a beginning, a middle, and an end that all ties together, which he did not. Gordy began to mentor Robinson.
Robinson remembered in the 2019 documentary Hitsville: The Making of Motown, “The first record that we ever recorded was a song called “Got a Job,” and Berry would produce records on us and put ’em with other record companies because Berry hadn’t started Motown yet. ‘Got a Job’ was in the top five of the R&B chart, so we know that it had sold some records. When it came time to pay the royalties, this guy sent Berry a check for three dollars and 19 cents. Back in those days, they paid you if they wanted to. If they didn’t want to, they didn’t pay you. Especially if you were Black.”
Robinson then encouraged Gordy to start a label where he could decide who gets paid what.
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4. Gordy Borrowed $800 From His Family to Start a Record Label
He wanted to name his new label Tammy Records but discovered an existing imprint with that name. He settled for Tamla Records. He invested his songwriting earnings and asked his family for a $1000 loan. They agreed to give him $800. Gordy’s assistant and future wife, Raynoma Mayberry Liles, found the two-story house at 2648 West Grand Boulevard. He would build a recording studio on the lower level.
“Shop Around” took about 20 minutes to write. Robinson played it for Gordy, and he agreed to record it. They pressed it up and put the record out. After it was out for about two and a half weeks, it was not racing up the charts.
Gordy called Robinson in the middle of the night and told him he wanted to change the song’s arrangement. Robinson agreed and told him they could work on it in the morning. Gordy insisted they meet at the studio right then. They all met up at the studio and rerecorded the song. It shot to number one and became the first million seller for the label.
Gordy felt Robinson was “outgrowing the teacher.” His songwriting was progressing in a way Gordy couldn’t keep up with.
5. He Gave Stevie Wonder His Name
The success of Gordy’s company was rapidly growing. He would go on to sign The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes, The Marvelettes, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, and a family from Gary, Indiana, The Jackson 5. A woman named Martha Reeves came in to audition several times for Gordy. He liked her voice but didn’t decide to record her. Instead, he offered her a job as secretary for the head of A&R, Mickey Stevenson.
Martha watched an 11-year-old Stevland Morris walk into Hitsville. He played piano, moved to the drums, sat at the organ, played the bongos, and blew a harmonica. Reeves recounted how he played everything with confidence and a sense of authority. Gordy called him a wonder, leading to the stage name Little Stevie Wonder.
When Mary Wells failed to appear at a recording session, Reeves stepped in to record the song in her place. Martha and The Vandellas were born. Dr. Martin Luther King paid Gordy a visit praising him for providing emotional integration to a lot of people. Gordy expanded the label into movies and publishing, turning it into an entertainment conglomerate. Motown went beyond the sky.
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