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The Sound of Young America

How Motown's founder Berry Gordy ransacked Detroit's ghettos for the talent that his team of songwriters and producers turned into a winning pop formula.

Landmark music series continues with the story of soul music's greatest svengali - Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records. The former Detroit car production line worker was a man on a mission from an early age to produce music that would appeal equally to black and white audiences. Gordy ransacked Detroit's ghettos for the raw talent that his gifted team of Motown songwriters and producers would turn into the winning pop formula he called 'the Sound of Young America'. Motown became the original 'hit factory', launching the careers of some of the biggest soul superstars including Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Four Tops and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. With contributions from the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Martha Reeves, Etta James, Fontella Bass and many others.

1 hour

Last on

Sat 4 Feb 2012 23:35

Credits

Role Contributor
Producer Francis Whately
Series Producer William Naylor
Narrator Colin Salmon

Broadcasts