Gordy, Berry, Jr.

Gordy, Berry, Jr.

▪ American businessman and musician
born Nov. 28, 1929, Detroit, Mich., U.S.
 
 American businessman, founder of the Motown Record Corporation (Motown) (1959), the most successful black-owned music company in the United States. Through Motown, he developed the majority of the great rhythm-and-blues (rhythm and blues) performers of the 1960s and '70s, including Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder (Wonder, Stevie), Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and Michael Jackson (Jackson, Michael) and the Jackson Five. Gordy was said to have masterminded the popular “Motown sound,” a ballad-based blend of traditional black harmony and gospel music with the lively beat of rhythm and blues. By 1982, the company boasted revenues of $104 million, and Motown acts had recorded 110 number one hits on the American pop charts.

      Gordy dropped out of Northeastern High School in Detroit, Mich., and pursued a featherweight boxing career before joining the U.S. Army (c. 1951–53). Shortly thereafter he returned to Detroit to open a record store and begin producing recordings of his own compositions.

      By the time Gordy founded Motown, he was at the apex of Detroit's black music scene and had already discovered Smokey Robinson. During the early 1960s Motown produced a string of hits that included Martha Reeves and the Vandellas' “Dancing in the Street” and the Temptations' “My Girl.” Also about this time Gordy developed the Supremes (Supremes, the), Motown's first superstar act. Powered by Diana Ross's sweet voice and quiet grace, the group went on to become one of the most successful female singing trios of all time. By the early 1970s Gordy had relocated the company to Hollywood and begun producing films, including Lady Sings the Blues (1972), featuring Ross in her film debut as Billie Holiday.

      Gordy was honoured for lifetime achievement at the American Music Awards in 1975 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gordy, Berry,Jr. — Gor·dy (gôrʹdē), Berry, Jr. Born 1929. American music producer who founded Motown Records (1959) and inspired the “Motown sound,” popular music heavily influenced by soul and rhythm and blues. * * * …   Universalium

  • Berry Gordy Jr. — Berry Gordy Jr. (* 28. November 1929 in Detroit) ist ein amerikanischer Musikproduzent, der durch die Begründung der Motown Musikrichtung bekannt wurde. Wirken Berry Gordy war der Begründer des heute noch existierenden Schallplatten Labels… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gordy family — Gordy Ethnicity African American Current region Detroit, Michigan Information Place of origin United States Notable …   Wikipedia

  • Berry Gordy — (2010) Berry Gordy Jr. (* 28. November 1929 in Detroit) ist ein US amerikanischer Musikproduzent, der durch die Begründung der Motown Musikrichtung bekannt wurde. Inhaltsverzeichnis …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Berry Gordy — (2010) Berry Gordy Jr (né le 28 novembre 1929 à Détroit) est un producteur américain qui a fondé le label Motown et ses multiples filiales. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Berry Gordy — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Berry Gordy es un empresario musical de Estados Unidos. Nació en Detroit, el 28 de noviembre de 1929. Su padre trabajaba como contratista en pintura y enyesado, y su madre en una inmobiliaria. Fue el séptimo de una… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Gordy — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Berry Gordy (* 1929), US amerikanischer Produzent Terry Gordy (1961–2001), US amerikanischer Wrestler Siehe auch: Mary Gordy Diese Seite ist eine …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Berry Gordy — Berry Gordoy fue un importante empresario musical de Estados Unidos. Nació en Detroit, el 28 de noviembre de 1929. Su padre trabajaba como contratista en pintura y enyesado, y su madre en una inmobiliaria. Fue el séptimo de una familia de ocho… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Berry Gordy — Infobox Musical artist Img size = 150 Name = Berry Gordy, Jr. |Img capt = Background = non performing personnel Born = birth date and age|1929|11|28 Origin = Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Instrument = Piano/keyboard, singing Genre = R B, soul, pop… …   Wikipedia

  • Gordy (disambiguation) — Contents 1 In entertainment 2 As a surname 3 As a given name 4 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”