(AURN News) — Berry Gordy Jr., the visionary founder of Motown Records, was born in Detroit on Nov. 28, 1929. In the 1960s, Gordy transformed American music with what became known as the Motown Sound — a pioneering blend of soul, pop and R&B that reshaped the nation’s cultural landscape. Before becoming a legendary music executive, he worked as a songwriter for local R&B artists, sharpening the skills that would soon influence an entire generation.
In 1959, Gordy established his first record company and soon launched the Motown label. The following year, the Miracles’ hit “Shop Around” topped the R&B charts and reached No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart, marking Motown’s breakthrough success.
Motown went on to introduce and elevate icons including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight & the Pips and the Jackson 5 — artists whose music continues to define American culture.
Happy 96th birthday to Berry Gordy.
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