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When Berry Gordy, Jr. founded Tamla Records in Detroit on 12th January, 1959, he reshaped popular music forever. With an iconic artist roster that included The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and The Jackson 5, Motown\u2019s ability to identify and nurture talent - inspired by the principles of a car production line - were unprecedented.\nGordy's journey, from a professional boxer and owner of a jazz record store to becoming a songwriter and producer, underscored his innate understanding of popular appeal. \u2018The Motown Sound\u2019, carefully crafted for crossover appeal, redefined genres for broader audiences.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Gordy\u2019s production philosophy was decades ahead of its time; consider the challenges faced by the label in the 70s and 80s; and reveals how Martha Reeves became a lead vocalist, after starting at Hitsville as a secretary\u2026\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018From the archive, 1 May 1972: Motown - the sound that changed America\u2019 (The Guardian, 2014): https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2014/may/01/motown-detroit-soul-berry-gordy\n\u2022 \u2018Motown: The music that changed America\u2019 (BBC Culture, 2019): https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20190109-motown-the-music-that-changed-america\n\u2022 \u2018Smokey Robinson & Berry Gordy: "I'll Try Something New", from "Hitsville"\u2019 (Showtime, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbiDLeRzoxQ\nWe'll be back on Monday - unless you join \U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\U0001f334, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!\nPlus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.\nJoin now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023.\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices