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“It was a beautiful feeling, when we were so full of hate and anger and everybody was so full of unrest, that we saw people actually join together, get out of their cars and dance to a song that meant we should rejoice… The Motown sound was a very big influence in the civil rights movement. The joyous immediacy of the songs also had a galvanising effect, as vocalist Martha Reeves recalls in Susan Whitall’s book, Women Of Motown: He set up the label’s base in a modest two-storey house at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, also known as Hitsville USA.Įven the Motown production philosophy had a ring to it (“KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid”) in fact, every detail was fine-tuned, from the songwriting teams such as powerhouse trio Holland-Dozier-Holland (Heat Wave Where Did Our Love Go Stop! In The Name Of Love Baby Love) and the sublime partnership of Ashford and Simpson (Ain’t No Mountain High Enough You’re All I Need To Get By) to the moves (thanks to “finishing school” teacher Maxine Powell and choreographer Cholly Atkins) that gave its talented artists such distinctive poise. Prior to founding the label, Gordy had also worked on production lines at the Lincoln-Mercury car plant. Motown’s name was rooted in industry and community: a nod to the ‘Motor Town’ nickname of its native city. The ‘Motown Sound’ is unmistakeable for its glorious melodies and killer hooks the Motown spirit – as embodied by the vivacious, tenacious Gordy himself (now 89) – is exceptional, even if the label is no longer independent (it’s currently part of Universal Records). On its anniversary, the music is celebrated in the book Motown: The Sound of Young America by Adam White with Barney Ales (Thames & Hudson) – filled with rarely seen and previously unpublished photos. Sixty years on, Motown’s classic catalogue remains ubiquitous and influential: forming a blueprint for modern soul and pop successes, from girl groups to hit singer-songwriters sampled on countless hip hop and dance anthems and covered by acts of every genre.