Berry Gordy, Jr., founder of Motown, is 93 years old today.
A record producer and songwriter in Detroit, Gordy developed his interest in music by writing songs and opening the 3-D Record Mart, a record store featuring jazz. The store was unsuccessful and Gordy sought work at the Lincoln-Mercury plant, but his family connections put him in touch with Al Green (not the singer), owner of the Flame Show Bar talent club, where he met the singer, Jackie Wilson.
In 1957, Wilson recorded "Reet Petite," a song Gordy had co-written with his sister Gwen and writer-producer, Billy Davis. It became a modest hit, but had more success internationally, especially in the UK where it reached the Top 10 and even later topped the chart on re-issue in 1986.
Wilson recorded six more songs co-written by Gordy over the next two years, including "Lonely Teardrops," which topped the R & B charts and got to #7 in the pop chart. Berry and Gwen Gordy also wrote "All I Could Do Was Cry" for the late Etta James at Chess Records.
Gordy reinvested the profits from his songwriting success into producing. In 1957, he discovered The Miracles (originally known as The Matadors) and began building a portfolio of successful artists. In 1959, with the encouragement of Miracles leader Smokey Robinson, Gordy borrowed $800 from his family to create R&B label, Tamla Records.
On January 21, 1959, "Come To Me" by Marv Johnson was issued as Tamla 101. United Artists Records picked up "Come To Me" for national distribution, as well as Johnson's more successful follow-up records (such as "You Got What It Takes," co-produced and co-written by Gordy).
Berry's next release was the only 45 ever issued on his Rayber label, and it featured Wade Jones with an unnamed female back-up group. The record did not sell well and is now one of the rarest issues from the Motown stable.
Berry's third release was "Bad Girl" by The Miracles, and was the first-ever release for the Motown record label. "Bad Girl" was a solid hit in 1959 after Chess Records picked it up. Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" initially appearing on Tamla and then charted on Gordy's sister's label, Anna Records, in February, 1960.
The Miracles' hit, "Shop Around," peaked at #1 on the national R&B charts in late 1960 and at #2 on the Billboard pop charts on January 16, 1961. It established Motown as an independent company worthy of notice. Later in 1961, The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" made it to the top of both charts.
In 1960, Gordy signed an unknown named Mary Wells who became the fledgling label's first star, with Smokey Robinson penning her hits, "You Beat Me to the Punch," "Two Lovers" and "My Guy."
The Tamla and Motown labels were then merged into a new company, Motown Record Corporation, which was incorporated on April 14, 1959. The rest is music history.