"at Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills, Courts of Remembrance, Sanctuary of Enduring Protection, Private Family Room 70 (). Anna Gordy Gaye Anna Ruby Gaye (née Gordy; January 28, 1922 – January 31, 2014) was an American businesswoman, composer and songwriter. An elder sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy, she became a record executive in the mid-to-late 1950s distributing records released on Checker and Gone Records before forming the Anna label with Billy Davis and sister Gwen. Gordy later became known as a songwriter for several hits including the Originals' ""Baby, I'm for Real"", and at least two songs"
"television and film production as well as music production. In 1959, Gordy formed his first label, Tamla Records, and purchased the property that would become Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio. The photography studio located in the back of the property was modified into a small recording studio, and the Gordys moved into the second-floor living quarters. Within seven years, Motown would occupy seven additional neighboring houses: By the end of 1966, Motown had hired over 450 employees and had a gross income of $20 million. In 1967 Berry Gordy purchased what is now known as the Motown mansion, in Detroit's Boston-Edison"
"established for him and formed Tamla Records in January of that year. The label didn't become national until later that year after the success of Barrett Strong's ""Money (That's What I Want)"", and the label changed its name to Motown Records in December. Its first national release was The Miracles' ""Way Over There"". After 1964, Motown became one of the most successful recording labels in the business and ""The Motown Sound"", partially cultivated by Gordy, began to dominate popular music and pop culture. Gordy soon developed Motown Industries in 1968, which developed television specials and variety shows. By 1973, Motown"
"Tamla Records (the precursor of what is now known as ""Motown"") was founded in January 1959, Sanders and Bateman were working for the label's owner Berry Gordy as backing singers. They tried to form a new vocal group of their own with Brian Holland (later to find fame as part of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting trio) and Sanders' neighbour James Ellis. When Holland was unable to attend rehearsals because of his commitments to the fledgling Motown label, the group instead recruited songwriter Chico Leverett (who recorded a solo single for Motown entitled ""Solid Sender"" in early 1959) and signed to Motown"
"and has lyrics that are almost entirely rewritten. Money (That's What I Want) ""Money (That's What I Want)"" is a song written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford that became the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise. The song was recorded in 1959 by Barrett Strong for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. It went on to be covered by many artists, including the Beatles in 1963 and the Flying Lizards in 1979. The song was originally recorded by Barrett Strong and released on Tamla in August 1959. Anna Records was operated by Gwen Gordy,"
"Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was originally founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, and was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ""motor"" and ""town"", has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned label that achieved significant crossover success. In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the"
"Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was originally founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, and was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ""motor"" and ""town"", has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned label that achieved significant crossover success. In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the"
"In 1960, 17-year-old Wells approached Tamla Records founder Berry Gordy at Detroit's Twenty Grand club with a song she had intended for Jackie Wilson to record, since Wells knew of Gordy's collaboration with Wilson. However, a tired Gordy insisted Wells sing the song in front of him. Impressed, Gordy had Wells enter Detroit's United Sound Systems to record the single, titled ""Bye Bye Baby"". After a reported 22 takes, Gordy signed Wells to the Motown subsidiary of his expanding record label and released the song as a single in September 1960; it peaked at #8 on the R&B chart in"
"Gordy family The Gordys are an African-American family of businesspeople and music industry executives. They were born to Georgia-reared parents Berry ""Pops"" Gordy Sr. and Bertha Fuller Gordy and raised in Detroit, where most of the siblings played a pivotal role in the international acceptance of rhythm and blues music as a crossover phenomenon in the 1960s. The accomplishment is attributable to the creation of Motown, a company founded by the seventh-oldest sibling, Berry Gordy Jr. As a couple, Berry and Bertha owned several businesses, including a successful painting business that they established, and a construction firm. Berry Sr. (or"
"William ""Mickey"" Stevenson William ""Mickey"" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan) is a former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967, when he and his then-wife, singer Kim Weston, left for MGM. He was born William Stevenson and, after spending his formative years recording doowop and gospel music, joined Tamla/Motown in 1959, the year it was founded. He was head of the A&R department there during the company's ""glory"" years of the mid-1960s when artists such as the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Four Tops,"
"In 1959, Billy Davis and Berry Gordy's sisters Gwen and Anna started Anna Records. Davis and Gwen Gordy wanted Berry to be the company president, but Berry wanted to strike out on his own. On January 12, 1959, he started Tamla Records, with an $800 loan from his family and royalties earned writing for Jackie Wilson. Gordy originally wanted to name the label Tammy Records, after the hit song popularized by Debbie Reynolds from the 1957 film ""Tammy and the Bachelor"", in which Reynolds also starred. When he found the name was already in use, Berry decided on Tamla instead."
"Brothers; there have also been several other cover versions of the song. The song's title served as the inspiration for Berry Gordy's first record label. In 1959, Gordy set up a new record company, and wanted to call it ""Tammy Records"" after the song, but the name was taken and ""Tamla"" was chosen instead. The main Motown label was created later that year and the two labels were incorporated into the Motown Record Corporation in 1960. Tamla served as a primary R&B and soul subsidiary throughout Motown's existence. The most popular version, by actress and singer Debbie Reynolds, was released"
"Community Outreach. She released a single on the London-based Motown revival label Motorcity Records entitled ""Time Stops"" in 1991. In 1993, John earned a Doctor of Divinity degree from the south Los Angeles ministry Crenshaw Christian Center. Mable John received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994. She appeared in John Sayles' 2007 movie ""Honeydripper"" and the 2014 Oscar-winning documentary ""20 Feet from Stardom"". Mable John Mable John (born November 3, 1930) is an American blues vocalist and was the first female signed by Berry Gordy to Motown's Tamla label. John was born in Bastrop, Louisiana,"
"Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., born November 28, 1929) is an American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record label and its subsidiaries, which was the highest-earning African-American business for decades. Berry Gordy III (also known as Berry Gordy Jr.) was born on November 28, 1929 in Detroit, to the middle-class family of Berry Gordy II (also known as Berry Gordy Sr.), who had relocated to Detroit from Oconee in Washington County, Georgia, in 1922. The first Berry Gordy was"
"for the company was to have a ""well-rounded stable"" of songs, including country and western as well as its established repertoire. He continued to head Jobete until 1985. He now resides in California. Robert Gordy Robert Louis Gordy (born July 15, 1931) is an American former music publishing executive, and a former recording artist under the stage name Bob Kayli. He is the youngest child of Berry Gordy, Sr. and Bertha Fuller, the brother of Motown founder, Berry Gordy, Jr. and uncle of singer and Rapper Redfoo. Robert Gordy was born in Detroit, Michigan. He had a brief career as"
"Money (That's What I Want) ""Money (That's What I Want)"" is a song written by Tamla founder Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford that became the first hit record for Gordy's Motown enterprise. The song was recorded in 1959 by Barrett Strong for the Tamla label, distributed nationally on Anna Records. It went on to be covered by many artists, including the Beatles in 1963 and the Flying Lizards in 1979. The song was originally recorded by Barrett Strong and released on Tamla in August 1959. Anna Records was operated by Gwen Gordy, Anna Gordy and Roquel ""Billy"" Davis. Gwen and"
"Marv Johnson Marv Earl Johnson (October 15, 1938 – May 16, 1993) was an American R&B and soul singer, notable for performing on the first record issued by Tamla Records, which later became Motown. Johnson was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1938. He began his career singing with a doo-wop group, the Serenaders, in the mid-1950s. With budding talents not only as a singer but also as a songwriter and pianist, he was discovered by Berry Gordy while Johnson performed at a carnival. Gordy had already decided to form his first record label, Tamla, and Johnson's recording of their song"
"at Dartford Grammar School that I met Mick Jagger and introduced him to black music, I'm ashamed to say. It's ironic that as a result of meeting me he's where he is today."" Godin played a minor role in the early jam sessions out of which the Rolling Stones emerged, but resented Jagger for what he saw as the Stones' exploitation of black music. After working at an advertising agency, and as a hospital porter in place of National Service (he was a conscientious objector), Godin founded the Tamla Motown Appreciation Society, and in time was recruited by Berry Gordy"
"Mable John Mable John (born November 3, 1930) is an American blues vocalist and was the first female signed by Berry Gordy to Motown's Tamla label. John was born in Bastrop, Louisiana, the eldest of at least nine siblings. At a very young age, she and her parents moved north into Arkansas, where her father got a job in a paper mill near Cullendale, where four of Mable's brothers (including R&B singer Little Willie John) and two sisters were born. In 1941, after her father was able to secure a better job, the family moved to Detroit, where two additional"
"married his fellow Miracles member Claudette Rogers in 1959. The couple had two children, son Berry Robinson (b. 1968), named after Motown's first label founder Berry Gordy, and daughter Tamla Robinson (b. 1969), named after the original ""Tamla"" label set up by Gordy that would eventually become Motown. Robinson has another son, Trey (b. 1984), with another woman, during his marriage to Claudette. After Robinson admitted this, he filed for legal separation and, later, divorce, which was granted in 1986. The Robinsons had separated once before, in 1974, and Robinson conducted an extramarital affair that became the concept of the"
"Love Go"" by the Supremes and ""My Guy"" by Mary Wells were Motown's first British top-20 hits). Eventually EMI created the Tamla Motown label (""Stop! In the Name of Love"" by the Supremes was the first Tamla Motown release in March 1965). After the songwriting trio Holland–Dozier–Holland left the label in 1967 over royalty-payment disputes, Norman Whitfield became the company's top producer, turning out hits for The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Rare Earth. In the meantime Berry Gordy established Motown Productions, a television subsidiary which produced TV specials for the Motown artists, including ""TCB"", with"
"legendary record label. Berry Gordy, Jr. founded Motown Records which rose to prominence during the 1960s and early 1970s with acts such as Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Diana Ross & The Supremes, the Jackson 5, Martha and the Vandellas, The Spinners, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Marvelettes, The Elgins, The Monitors, The Velvelettes and Marvin Gaye. Artists were backed by in-house vocalists The Andantes and The Funk Brothers, the Motown house band that was featured in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, based on Allan Slutsky's"
"Robert Gordy Robert Louis Gordy (born July 15, 1931) is an American former music publishing executive, and a former recording artist under the stage name Bob Kayli. He is the youngest child of Berry Gordy, Sr. and Bertha Fuller, the brother of Motown founder, Berry Gordy, Jr. and uncle of singer and Rapper Redfoo. Robert Gordy was born in Detroit, Michigan. He had a brief career as a recording artist, and had a minor hit, as Bob Kayli, with the novelty song, ""Everyone Was There"", co-written with his brother Berry and leased by him to the Carlton label. The record"
"Show Theme ""Real Stories of the Highway Patrol"" Kerry Gordy, Leader and Founder of Teen Idol Group ""Apollo"" Kerry Gordy and Benny Medina, Teen Idol Group ""Apollo"", National Television Debut on the Dinah Shore Show in 1978 (Video) Kerry Ashby on NBC's Diff'rent Strokes Kerry Gordy Kerry Ashby Gordy (born June 25, 1959) is a music industry executive and a member of the Gordy family of Motown fame. He is the son of Motown records founder Berry Gordy, the half-brother of singer and rapper Redfoo and Rhonda Ross, daughter of Motown legend Diana Ross. Gordy was born in Detroit, Michigan"
"chief William ""Mickey"" Stevenson, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Norman Whitfield, had become a major force in the music industry. From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 top 10 hits. Top artists on the Motown label during that period included the Supremes (initially including Diana Ross), the Four Tops, and the Jackson 5, while Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label. The company operated several labels in addition to the Tamla and Motown imprints. A third label, which Gordy named after himself (though it was originally called ""Miracle"") featured the Temptations, the"
"has worked as a producer with G. C. Cameron, Smokey Robinson, Mandré and High Inergy. Gordy was previously married to producer and recording artist, Johnny Bristol. Presently, Gordy serves on the board of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Iris Gordy Iris Gordy (born February 16, 1943) is an American songwriter, producer, and music executive. She is a former vice president at Motown, where she helped launch the careers of DeBarge, Teena Marie, and Rick James. Gordy is the daughter of Mildred (née Hart) and Fuller Gordy, the brother of Motown founder Berry Gordy. In 1970, ""The Bells,"" a song she"
"started several short businesses before joining his brother's Motown label in 1960, where he was a co-writer of several songs released by Motown artists. By his wife Rosemary (who died in 1980), he had six sons and two daughters. He died in his sleep at the age of 85. Another important member of Motown's growing success was Gwendolyn Gordy (November 26, 1927 – November 8, 1999). Gwen partnered with her brother Berry and then-boyfriend Billy Davis to co-pen several hits for Jackie Wilson in the mid-1950s. In 1959, Gwen, Billy and sister Anna formed Anna Records in Detroit. Anna would"
"one of the rarest issues from the Motown stable. Berry's third release was ""Bad Girl"" by the Miracles, the first release on the Motown record label. ""Bad Girl"" was a solid hit in 1959 after Chess Records picked it up. Barrett Strong's ""Money (That's What I Want)"" initially appeared on Tamla and then charted on Gordy's sister's label, Anna Records, in February 1960. It was The Miracles who gave the label its first million-selling hit single, with the 1960 ""Grammy Hall of Fame"" smash, ""Shop Around"" and this song, and its follow up hits,""You've Really Got a Hold on Me"""
"wrote ""All I Could Do Was Cry"" for Etta James at Chess Records. Gordy reinvested the profits from his songwriting success into producing. In 1957, he discovered the Miracles (originally known as the Matadors) and began building a portfolio of successful artists. In 1959, with the encouragement of Miracles leader Smokey Robinson, Gordy borrowed $800 from his family to create an R&B record company. Originally, Gordy wanted to name the new label Tammy Records, after the song recorded by Debbie Reynolds. However, that name was taken, and he chose the name Tamla Records. The company began operating on January 21,"
"Kerry Gordy Kerry Ashby Gordy (born June 25, 1959) is a music industry executive and a member of the Gordy family of Motown fame. He is the son of Motown records founder Berry Gordy, the half-brother of singer and rapper Redfoo and Rhonda Ross, daughter of Motown legend Diana Ross. Gordy was born in Detroit, Michigan the same year that his father, Berry Gordy, Jr., founded Motown Records. Gordy was brought home from the hospital to live in the historic home that housed the Hitsville Motown Recording Studios on West Grand Blvd. which was renamed Berry Gordy Jr. Blvd. Gordy’s"
"Anna's brother Berry Gordy had just established his Tamla label (soon Motown would follow) and licensed the song to the Anna label in 1960, which was distributed nationwide by Chicago-based Chess Records in order to meet demand; the Tamla record was a resounding success in the Midwest. The song has Strong curtly insisting that money is what he needs, more than anything else. In the US, the single became Motown's first hit in June 1960, making it to number 2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart and number 23 on the ""Billboard"" Hot 100. The song was listed as number"
"together for Motown and founded a teen idol band called Apollo for the Motown Records label. Teena Marie was originally in the group as the female lead, but dropped out before the band released their first single for Motown entitled ""Astro Disco"". Gordy's career began in 1973 working in the Motown Records mailroom. The early years of his career were spent in various administrative and creative capacities. Then in 1979, he released an album on Motown as a member of the group, Apollo. By the 1980s, he was known professionally as Kerry Ashby to separate himself at Motown from his"
"million. In 1989, Gordy sold the Motown Productions TV/film operations to Motown executive Suzanne de Passe, who renamed the company de Passe Entertainment and continues to run it . During the 1990s, Motown was home to successful recording artists such as Boyz II Men and Johnny Gill, although the company itself remained in a state of turmoil. MCA appointed a revolving door of executives to run the company, beginning with Berry Gordy's immediate successor, Jheryl Busby. Busby quarreled with MCA, alleging that the company did not give Motown's product adequate attention or promotion. In 1991, Motown sued MCA to have"