motown music concerts four winds casino michigan

But Motown had become a major corporation, its success built on talent, drive, and internal competition. By the end of the 60s, however, Vee-Jay was a distant memory, Atlantic was chiefly focused on hard rock and Chess had failed to turn its undeniably brilliant soul and blues artists into superstars.

Large companies focused on R&B and jazz – two of the foundation stones of soul music – already existed, such as Atlantic, Vee-Jay, and Chess, and were already established by the time Motown came along. Some sprouted from a single record store or nightclub. Numerous small record labels that specialized in soul and R&B were launched in the early 60s.

Listen to the best of Motown on Apple Music and Spotify.Ī success built on talent, drive, and competition If a record label could establish itself, the world was its oyster. There were still battles to be fought, arguments to win, wars to stop, injustices to put right. Across the Atlantic in Europe, influential bands became fans of soul and R&B, including four lads from Liverpool who were admirers of The Marvelettes and The Miracles and the bands that followed The Beatles, such as The Who and The Dave Clark Five, included soul songs in their repertoire.

White people began to appreciate R&B and soul, a new expansive music that had grown out of it, providing free-spending fans. The Civil Rights movement meant that black people’s interests were being voiced and white people were beginning to listen – and music would be a medium for that message.Īs the new decade dawned, an emerging black middle class had disposable income to spend on records – some of which was refined, smooth, “uptown” music that record labels began to target. African-American singers would soon reach a bigger audience than ever before.

In the early 60s, the music industry was rapidly expanding. Motown was founded in 1959 as Tamla Records, and it acquired the name Motown in April 1960 – the ideal time to launch a record company built on black music.

Motown music concerts four winds casino michigan