By Spence Finlayson

Imagine a world without Diana Ross and The Supremes , Marvin Gaye , The Temptations , Gladys Knight and The Pips , Stevie Wonder , Michael Jackson , Lionel Richie , Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and The Four Tops . You have just imagined a world without Berry Gordy , Jr .

I grew up in the Bahamas in the sixties and seventies listening to the wonderful sounds of Motown , the record company that Berry Gordy founded . My favorite Motown act of course is the Tempting Temptations , who I have had the great privilege of seeing them in concert more than 10 times . As I write this chapter , I am listening to David Ruffin singing lead on the Temptations hit “ I Could Never Love Another After Loving You “ on the Classic R & B and Soul on my Cable box .

Berry Gordy and his Motown music have always been a source of inspiration for me . Berry Gordy Jr was born to a middle-class family and he shattered the color barrier in the American entertainment industry . The son of a plastering contractor in Detroit ’ s inner city , Gordy rose to become one of the twentieth century ’ s most stunning success stories , following a sometimes stumbling , but

Berry Gordy , Jr . Founder of Motown Records

always determined course . For me personally whenever I felt a little down for whatever reason , I would play some of my old Temptations songs that takes me back to a pleasant time in my life .

Berry Gordy was known as the black sheep of his family but he had a burning desire for greatness , a desire to

be special , a fire lit by the heroes of his youth , the legendary boxers , as well as the artists and musicians flourishing in Detroit ’ s club scene , who showed him there was a way out of the ghetto . In 1957 Jackie Wilson recorded “ Reet Petite , a song Berry Gordy co-wrote with his sister Gwen and writerproducer Billy Davis , It become a modest hit , but had more success internationally , especially in the UK , where it reached the Top 10 and even later topped the chart on re-issue in 1986 . Wilson recorded six more songs co-written by Gordy over the next two years , including “ Lonely Teardrops ” which topped the R & B charts and got to number 7 in the pop chart .

Gordy reinvested the profits from his songwriting success into producing . In 1957 , he discovered The Miracles and began building a portfolio of successful artists . In 1959 , at Miracles leader William Smokey Robinson ’ s encouragement , Gordy borrowed $ 800 from his family to create the R & B label Tamla Records . On January 21 , 1959 , “ Come To Me ” by Marv Johnson was issued as Tamla 101 . In 1960 , Berry Gordy signed an unknown named Mary Wells who became the fledgling label ’ s first star with Smoke Robinson writing her hits “ You Beat Me To The Punch ,“ “ Two Lovers ” and “ My Guy .” Gordy ’ s gift for identifying and

bringing together musical talent , along with the careful management of his artists ’ public image , made Motown initially a major national and then international success . Over the next decade , he signed such artists as The Supremes , Marvin Gaye , The Temptations , Jimmy Ruffin , The Contours , The Four Tops , Gladys Knight and The Pips , The Commodores , The Velvelettes , Martha and The Vandellas , Stevie Wonder and the Jackson 5 .

I was so inspired by Berry Gordy , I hosted my own radio show called “ The Motown Hour “ where I played the hits by the various Motown artists and shared some background information about the writers and producers and little tidbits about the artists . Berry Gordy ‘ s dream began to take shape , a hit factory , based on the principles he learned working on Detroit ’ s Lincoln- Mercury assembly line , where a kid could walk in one door an unknown off the street and come out the other a polished performer . Gordy ’ s standards were ferociously exacting . With determination and constant innovations , he cultivated a music that communicated basic feelings , cutting through cultural and language barriers . By the mid-60s , Motown dominated

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