Motown
34 videos • 844 views • by PowderSpirit3 Motown specialized in a type of soul music it referred to with the trademark "The Motown Sound". Crafted with an ear towards pop appeal, the Motown Sound typically used tambourines to accent the back beat, prominent and often melodic electric bass-guitar lines, distinctive melodic and chord structures, and a call-and-response singing style that originated in gospel music. Pop production techniques such as the use of orchestral string sections, charted horn sections, and carefully arranged background vocals were also used. Motown is an American record company founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan in the United States. In the 1960s, Motown and its soul-based subsidiaries were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as "The Motown Sound", a style of soul music with a distinct pop influence. Acts such as Jackie Wilson and The Matadors. Wilson's single "Lonely Teardrops", Marv Johnson's "Come to Me", The Matadors, who changed their name to The Miracles, the Silhouettes', William "Mickey" Stevenson, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Norman Whitfield, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, and The Miracles . The Temptations, The Contours, and Martha and the Vandellas, The Velvelettes, The Spinners, The Monitors, and Chris Clark, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Jimmy Ruffin, Shorty Long, The Originals, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Rick James, Teena Marie, the Dazz Band and DeBarge. People would listen to it, and they'd say, 'Aha, they use more bass. Or they use more drums.' Bullshit. When we were first successful with it, people were coming from Germany, France, Italy, Mobile, Alabama. From New York, Chicago, California. From everywhere. Just to record in Detroit. They figured it was in the air, that if they came to Detroit and recorded on the freeway, they'd get the Motown sound. Listen, the Motown sound to me is not an audible sound. It's spiritual, and it comes from the people that make it happen.