Well it could be. The 83 year old founder of Motown Records has created “Motown: The Musical,”, which is in preview at the Lunt Fontaine Theater in NYC this week. The story of humble beginnings gave the mogul opportunity to fully relive his accomplishments, stemming from humble (if not stereotypical) beginnings.
With a $800 loan from his family’s savings club and started his own record company, one that he vowed would produce music for all listeners, not “black music for black people” as had been the standard.
“We would always say, ‘It’s what’s in the groove that counts,’“ Gordy said, referencing one of the songs he wrote for the musical. “It was about music for all people. Not black and white, Jews and gentiles, the cops and the robbers. It was for everybody.”
The shows director, Randolph-Wright, was raised in segregated South Carolina, and was among the many young Americans influenced by Gordy’s story and the musical revolution.
“Berry Gordy was one of my idols growing up. At that time, there weren’t many men of color in that power position to look up to,” Randolph-Wright said during a trip to Hitsville, U.S.A., home to the Motown Museum in Detroit. “And, I always say he gave me and people like me permission to dream – to dream big enough that I would be in Studio A talking to you.”
The Motown legacy is massive and with so many hits it was Gordy himself who personally placed songs within the show for maximum impact. From Marvin Gay to The Temptations the representation is insane but then again so is the scope of the label. A feel good musical journey through racism and stereotype. Keep in mind this cat ended up moere wealthy than you will ever be- simply by having $800 determination and a damn good ear.
Gordy is looking to produce one last showstopper.
“I did the Broadway musical mainly for, I think, the people around the world that believed in me when they had no real reason to other than the music that they heard and loved,” he said.
“If you come up with something bigger than Broadway, I might be interested,” he said, laughing.
Laughing all the way to the bank no less.
http://www.motownthemusical.com/upgrade.html
Comments are closed.