Berry Gordy III (a.k.a. Berry Gordy, Jr., born November 28,
1929, Detroit, Michigan) is an American record producer, and the
founder of the Motown record label and its many subsidiaries. The
character of Curtis Taylor Jr. in the Broadway show and film
DreamGirls is semi based on him.
Gordy reinvested his songwriting success into producing. In 1957
he discovered Smokey Robinson and The Miracles and began building a
portfolio of successful artists. In January 1959 Gordy founded an
R&B label called Tamla Records, which produced Marv Johnson's
first hit, "Come To Me." At Robinson's encouragement, Gordy created
Motown on December 14, 1959. Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I
Want)," besides appearing on Tamla, charted on Gordy's Anna label
from February 1960. The Miracles' hit "Shop Around" peaked
nationally at #1 on the R&B charts in late 1960 and at #2 on
the pop charts in early 1961 and established Motown as an
independent company worthy of notice.
He promoted African-American artists, but carefully controlled
their public image, dress, manners and choreography for crossover
appeal. His gift for identifying musical talent, along with the
careful management of his artists' public image, made Motown a
national success. Over the next decade he signed such artists as
Mary Wells, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four
Tops, Gladys Knight and The Pips, The Commodores, The Velvelettes,
The Marvelettes, Martha & the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder and The
Jackson 5.
