 |
Berry GordiAmerican record director and founder of the Motown recording studio.
Date of Birth: 28.11.1929
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Berry Gordy Jr.
Berry Gordy Jr., an American record producer and the founder of Motown record label, was born on November 28, 1929, in Detroit, Michigan. He was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and published his autobiography, "To Be Loved," in 1994.
Early Life and Family
Berry Gordy Jr. was the seventh child born into a middle-class family to Berry Gordy II, also known as Berry Gordy Sr., and Bertha Faller Gordy. The family had moved from Millville, Georgia to Detroit in 1922. Gordy grew up in a close-knit family with strong moral values.
Berry Gordy II (1888–1978) was the son of Berry Gordy I and a woman named Lucy. Berry Gordy I was the descendant of James Thomas Gordy, a white farmer, and a dark-skinned enslaved woman from Georgia. Interestingly, James Thomas Gordy (1828–1889) (through his wife Garrett Emily Helms) was also the great-grandfather of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter (who is related to Berry Gordy III and Carter II). Furthermore, James Thomas Gordy was a great-great-grandson of Andreas Presley, making Berry Gordy distantly related to Elvis Presley.
Founding of Motown
In January 1959, Gordy founded a R&B music studio called "Tamla Records" with a bank loan of $800. The first hit record, "Come To Me," was recorded by Marv Johnson and gained nationwide distribution through United Artists Records, which also released subsequent successful records co-written by Gordy, such as "You Got What It Takes." Two years later, the label was renamed "Motown."
Although Motown continued to release major hits in the 1970s and 80s by artists like Jackson, Rick James, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson, the record label eventually faced decline. On June 28, 1988, Gordy sold his shares in Motown Records to MCA and Boston Ventures for $61 million. He later sold his shares in Jobete to EMI Publishing.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1990, Gordy was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Four years later, he published his autobiography, "To Be Loved." Gordy has been married three times and has eight children: Hazel Joy, Berry Gordy IV, Sherry, Kennedy, Kerry, Rhonda, Steven, and Terry James. His publishing company was named after his three oldest children (JOy, BErry, and Terry).
