1 00:01:12,305 --> 00:01:16,605 Berry Gordy started Tamla Records- later known as the Motown Record Corporation- 2 00:01:16,709 --> 00:01:21,510 with an $800 loan from a family co-operative in january 1959. 3 00:01:31,324 --> 00:01:36,785 Berry Gordy relied on joe Hunter to bring talent to Motown. 4 00:02:03,356 --> 00:02:09,124 At the time of filming, Joe was indeed still playing... 5 00:02:09,229 --> 00:02:14,531 albeit in obscurity, in a Marriott Hotel lobby in Troy, Michigan. 6 00:03:04,417 --> 00:03:10,219 The music heard is The Funk Brothers' stage theme song, "The Flick. " 7 00:03:10,323 --> 00:03:15,283 They recorded several versions in the fall of 1965. 8 00:04:19,125 --> 00:04:21,184 The Hula Hoop was introduced by Wham-O Manufacturing in 1958. 9 00:04:21,294 --> 00:04:25,458 Rightfielder Al Kaline was the Detroit Tigers premiere player in the '50s. 10 00:04:27,500 --> 00:04:32,369 Singer Billie Holiday was known as "Lady Day," a great favorite of Berry Gordy. 11 00:04:32,472 --> 00:04:37,466 He would later produce a film on her life starring Motown artist Diana Ross. 12 00:04:49,522 --> 00:04:53,549 Before Motown, Berry Gordy was a successful songwriter forjackie Wilson. 13 00:05:39,205 --> 00:05:41,938 Gerald Levert performs "Reach Out I'll Be There," 14 00:05:41,939 --> 00:05:44,507 originally a number one hit for the Four Tops. 15 00:05:48,514 --> 00:05:53,474 The Funk Brothers recorded the original backing track on july 8, 1966. 16 00:06:01,594 --> 00:06:05,621 An astounding track, "Reach Out" illustrates james jamerson's... 17 00:06:05,732 --> 00:06:10,692 fully developed 16th-note syncopated bass style. 18 00:06:13,606 --> 00:06:19,670 Jamerson took a standard, root-fifth, cocktail approach to his bass part... 19 00:06:19,178 --> 00:06:23,638 and ran it through countless rhythmic variations. 20 00:06:26,619 --> 00:06:31,420 Gerald Levert is the son of Eddie Levert, lead singer of the O'jays. 21 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:39,757 He was born the year "Reach Out" was a hit. 22 00:06:39,866 --> 00:06:42,716 The song's percussion hook was played by a Funk 23 00:06:42,717 --> 00:06:46,101 Brother thumping the head of a "bell-less" tambourine... 24 00:06:46,205 --> 00:06:48,943 while its memorable piccolo part is re-created 25 00:06:48,944 --> 00:06:51,507 on stage by its originator, Dayna Hartwick. 26 00:07:10,663 --> 00:07:13,564 This sequence was filmed at the Encore record store on 27 00:07:13,565 --> 00:07:16,624 the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 28 00:07:20,506 --> 00:07:26,308 The people interviewed are actual store customers, not actors. 29 00:08:32,745 --> 00:08:35,396 Paul Riser was classically trained. He is best known 30 00:08:35,397 --> 00:08:38,470 as an arranger of hits like "My Girl," among others. 31 00:08:45,758 --> 00:08:50,889 Grammy winner Stevejordan worked with Bootsy Collins in the film. 32 00:08:53,990 --> 00:08:58,127 He got his break as the drummer on Late Night with David Letterman. 33 00:09:03,309 --> 00:09:05,408 Songwriter Edward Holland began his career as 34 00:09:05,409 --> 00:09:07,507 a singer, best known for his 1962 hit, "jamie. " 35 00:09:07,613 --> 00:09:10,210 Detroit native Don Was covered the Temptations' "Papa 36 00:09:10,211 --> 00:09:12,710 Was A Rollin' Stone" with the group, Was (Not Was). 37 00:09:12,818 --> 00:09:15,753 As a young musician, he gigged with Funk Brother "Pistol" Allen. 38 00:09:35,641 --> 00:09:38,641 In 1962, Martha Reeves was discovered at the 20 Grand 39 00:09:38,642 --> 00:09:41,273 nightclub by Motown's AandR head, Mickey Stevenson. 40 00:09:43,716 --> 00:09:47,413 She worked as his secretary before signing as a singer. 41 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:52,787 Therefore, she was one of the few Motown artists to interact with the musicians. 42 00:10:02,835 --> 00:10:05,804 Photo: Motown producer Hank Cosby, pretending to bejack Ashford... 43 00:10:05,905 --> 00:10:08,806 stands between Robert White (guitar) and james jamerson (bass). 44 00:10:52,118 --> 00:10:55,315 Joan Osborne sings "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave... " 45 00:10:55,421 --> 00:10:58,431 originally a number four hit for Martha 46 00:10:58,432 --> 00:11:01,519 and The Vandellas in the summer of 1963. 47 00:11:25,918 --> 00:11:30,140 The Funk Brothers recorded its original backing track with producers... 48 00:11:30,122 --> 00:11:34,456 Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier on june 20, 1963. 49 00:11:53,612 --> 00:11:56,842 Joan Osborne released How Sweet It Is, an 50 00:11:56,843 --> 00:11:59,642 entire album of RandB classics, in 2002. 51 00:12:09,962 --> 00:12:14,865 Tom Scott plays here; Mike Terry, who blew many such classic sax breaks for Motown... 52 00:12:14,967 --> 00:12:18,733 played on the original recording. 53 00:12:25,978 --> 00:12:28,864 By '63, Motown's chief technician Mike McLean 54 00:12:28,865 --> 00:12:31,939 had installed a handmade, three-track tape deck. 55 00:12:34,530 --> 00:12:37,309 Now, lead vocals were overdubbed, and the Funks would 56 00:12:37,310 --> 00:12:40,686 record not knowing for whom their tracks were intended. 57 00:12:44,997 --> 00:12:48,820 For "Heatwave," the Vandellas recorded vocals on the 58 00:12:48,830 --> 00:12:51,459 same day as the Funks, but at a session later in the day. 59 00:13:09,210 --> 00:13:11,801 In 1955, Black Detroiters had the highest per 60 00:13:11,802 --> 00:13:14,823 capita income among African Americans nationwide. 61 00:13:16,328 --> 00:13:19,162 Yet at that time, African Americans earned 62 00:13:19,163 --> 00:13:22,392 about 33 cents to every dollar earned by whites. 63 00:13:22,501 --> 00:13:25,334 The Bel-Aire was the most popular Chevy in the 1950s. 64 00:13:31,430 --> 00:13:35,844 Joe Hunter worked a drill press at Chevrolet outside Detroit... 65 00:13:35,948 --> 00:13:40,749 after an Army stint with Earl Van Dyke at the Lockburn base in Ohio. 66 00:14:00,873 --> 00:14:05,276 Baker's, located at the intersection of 8 Mile Road and Livernois... 67 00:14:05,377 --> 00:14:08,869 has been a Detroit jazz institution for over 50 years. 68 00:14:29,401 --> 00:14:34,338 Berry Gordy hung the sign "Hitsville U.S.A." on his house... 69 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:38,900 at 2648 West Grand Boulevard before Motown had any hits. 70 00:14:42,448 --> 00:14:46,248 Motown used to store master tapes in Smokey's basement... 71 00:14:46,352 --> 00:14:50,812 until flooding forced Motown to set up a tape library at Hitsville. 72 00:15:02,968 --> 00:15:05,994 Jamerson was told to play the bass because he had big hands. 73 00:15:31,163 --> 00:15:33,838 Jamerson got his first and only upright bass 74 00:15:33,839 --> 00:15:36,624 for about $200 after graduating from high school. 75 00:15:54,190 --> 00:15:59,470 Jamerson switched to electric Fender bass in 1961. 76 00:16:15,708 --> 00:16:19,508 Jamerson jr. had a hit band on his own, Chanson... 77 00:16:19,611 --> 00:16:24,105 whose "Don't Hold Back" was a Top 10 RandB smash in 1978. 78 00:16:35,461 --> 00:16:40,592 Jamerson only changed his strings if they broke. He used LaBella flat wounds- 79 00:16:40,699 --> 00:16:46,100 a "dead" sound with a heavy bottom, a challenge for Motown's engineers. 80 00:17:29,140 --> 00:17:32,412 Jamerson's bass and all the guitarists were plugged directly 81 00:17:32,413 --> 00:17:35,476 into the mix board via the gray box with meters on it. 82 00:17:35,587 --> 00:17:39,489 It is located just to the lower left of the control booth window. 83 00:18:09,354 --> 00:18:12,768 Hitsville U.S.A. is now the site of the Motown Historical 84 00:18:12,769 --> 00:18:16,123 Museum, run by Ms. Esther Edwards, Berry Gordy's sister. 85 00:18:21,166 --> 00:18:26,627 Though thought of as a basement, Hitsville's studio was actually a converted garage. 86 00:18:26,738 --> 00:18:31,539 The actual underground basement was home to the engineering staff. 87 00:18:41,353 --> 00:18:44,273 The studio's nickname, "Snakepit," derived from 88 00:18:44,274 --> 00:18:47,314 the microphone cables suspended from the ceiling. 89 00:18:59,371 --> 00:19:02,113 The control room, seen behind the glass, had 90 00:19:02,114 --> 00:19:04,673 six monitors blasting both day and night. 91 00:19:04,776 --> 00:19:09,236 The cabinets were custom-built by the Gordy family's construction crew. 92 00:19:22,761 --> 00:19:25,361 Everyone pitched in at Motown: In the early days, 93 00:19:25,362 --> 00:19:28,222 Smokey Robinson was responsible for cleaning Studio A. 94 00:19:44,950 --> 00:19:49,785 A key to the Motown Sound was nothing ever moved, especially the drums. 95 00:19:49,888 --> 00:19:54,848 The vibes arejack Ashford's original Deegan Imperial Nocturne model. 96 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:59,761 The real piano, however, is in Berry Gordy's house. 97 00:20:47,646 --> 00:20:50,444 Meshell performs The Miracles' "You've Really Got A Hold On Me. " 98 00:20:50,549 --> 00:20:55,748 The original track was cut October 16, 1962, and hit the Top 10 a few months later. 99 00:21:19,110 --> 00:21:24,472 None of the musicians used headphones during their original sessions. 100 00:21:30,756 --> 00:21:33,870 The guitarists crowded around a monitor (seen behind 101 00:21:33,871 --> 00:21:37,218 Eddie Willis) and were responsible for their own volume. 102 00:21:43,268 --> 00:21:49,700 Smokey wrote "You Really Got A Hold On Me"... 103 00:21:49,174 --> 00:21:52,143 a homage to Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me. " 104 00:22:05,557 --> 00:22:07,383 The horns are playing live 105 00:22:07,384 --> 00:22:09,452 they're just off camera, in 106 00:22:09,453 --> 00:22:12,190 Motown's original isolation booth. 107 00:22:58,443 --> 00:23:03,403 Meshell was the first woman to be honored as "Bassist of the Year," in 1994. 108 00:23:09,988 --> 00:23:12,435 Jack Ashford stands 6' 5", but he still gets 109 00:23:12,436 --> 00:23:15,153 teased for having the world's largest tambourine. 110 00:23:27,372 --> 00:23:29,471 Marvin Gaye started singing with 111 00:23:29,472 --> 00:23:31,832 The Rainbows in Washington D.C. ... 112 00:23:31,943 --> 00:23:37,904 and Harvey Fuqua's Moonglows in the "50s. He first worked at Motown as a drummer. 113 00:24:00,472 --> 00:24:03,696 Joe had been retired for 30 years but was convinced, 114 00:24:03,697 --> 00:24:06,433 for this film, to take out his guitar again. 115 00:24:19,691 --> 00:24:24,651 Riser is being modest here: he was a terrific trombone player. 116 00:25:09,975 --> 00:25:12,643 Quick look: a rare shot of the Temptations' 117 00:25:12,644 --> 00:25:15,675 David Ruffin without his trademark black glasses. 118 00:25:20,986 --> 00:25:23,358 Benny Benjamin and joe Hunter were in their 119 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:25,946 mid-thirties when they started the Motown band. 120 00:25:44,276 --> 00:25:49,236 The Funks recorded the session Joe's referring to on june 3, 1962. 121 00:25:49,347 --> 00:25:54,307 Berry Gordy sang the demo for The Contours. 122 00:26:33,291 --> 00:26:37,523 "Do You Love Me?" originally hit number three in '62... 123 00:26:37,629 --> 00:26:42,589 and returned to the charts when featured in the hit film Dirty Dancing in 1988. 124 00:26:45,300 --> 00:26:47,998 Bootsy is an influential and innovative bassist 125 00:26:47,999 --> 00:26:50,805 who was heavily influenced byjames jamerson. 126 00:27:11,930 --> 00:27:15,510 Bootsy admits he could never play likejamerson, so 127 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,233 he developed his own unique, "liquid funk" style... 128 00:27:18,336 --> 00:27:20,198 as heard on james Brown's "Sex Machine," 129 00:27:20,199 --> 00:27:22,432 several P-Funk classics and with his own band. 130 00:27:56,307 --> 00:27:58,410 Berry Gordy originally turned down The 131 00:27:58,420 --> 00:27:59,112 Contours. jackie Wilson 132 00:27:59,113 --> 00:28:00,368 spoke up on their behalf. 133 00:28:42,954 --> 00:28:47,914 Wilson was shot by his girlfriend in front of his NYC apartment February 15, 1961. 134 00:28:48,260 --> 00:28:50,449 Because of his injuries, Wilson could only handle 135 00:28:50,450 --> 00:28:52,690 three shows a week. The Funks made $25 per show. 136 00:28:52,797 --> 00:28:55,723 However, their expenses were $60 a week, leaving them with 137 00:28:55,724 --> 00:28:58,599 only $15 profit. They were better off in the "Snakepit. " 138 00:29:34,500 --> 00:29:36,908 On the road,james jamerson spent the better part of his 139 00:29:36,909 --> 00:29:39,966 time searching for soul food. Hotel food made him grouchy. 140 00:30:00,865 --> 00:30:05,495 Jamerson liked odd food concoctions like raccoon and possum gumbo. 141 00:31:23,615 --> 00:31:27,160 Pig's feet are considered a Chinese delicacy and are eaten for good luck. 142 00:31:42,133 --> 00:31:46,832 The music heard here is, "The Way You Do The Things You Do. " 143 00:31:46,938 --> 00:31:49,828 Smokey Robinson and fellow Miracle Bobby Rogers 144 00:31:49,829 --> 00:31:52,899 wrote it in a similar station wagon while on tour. 145 00:32:37,155 --> 00:32:40,183 Blues singerjoe Weaver was Benny's first cousin. 146 00:32:40,184 --> 00:32:43,458 Pre-Motown, The Funk Brothers often backed him live. 147 00:33:04,615 --> 00:33:09,750 Corn liquor, aka "moonshine," is also called "panther's breath... " 148 00:33:09,187 --> 00:33:14,454 "ruckus juice," "hillbilly pop" and "white lightning. " 149 00:33:23,568 --> 00:33:28,232 The "Hitch Hike" session was on September 16, 1962. The producer was Mickey Stevenson. 150 00:33:40,251 --> 00:33:44,210 Uriel's nickname was "Possum. " 151 00:34:17,321 --> 00:34:20,107 "Pistol" is sitting at his original drum set, 152 00:34:20,108 --> 00:34:22,953 still in that exact spot at the Motown Museum. 153 00:35:02,133 --> 00:35:07,930 At that time, "Funk" is lowdown, nasty - a word not used in everyday conversation. 154 00:35:09,240 --> 00:35:12,869 When the band had an album released in '64... 155 00:35:12,977 --> 00:35:18,142 Berry Gordy changed the name of the group to Earl Van Dyke and The Soul Brothers. 156 00:35:28,192 --> 00:35:32,424 Jr. Walker and The All Stars' original "Shotgun" was recorded December 15, 1964. 157 00:35:53,384 --> 00:35:57,150 While the song stemmed from Jr. 's regular club dates... 158 00:35:57,255 --> 00:36:02,818 The Funk Brothers, not The All Stars, recorded his Motown hit. 159 00:36:02,927 --> 00:36:07,557 It reached number four on the Pop charts. 160 00:36:33,958 --> 00:36:37,951 Jr. Walker played a Selmer saxophone, but retired the original in the '80s. 161 00:36:38,620 --> 00:36:41,930 His style influenced dozens of later players like Tom Scott. 162 00:37:02,119 --> 00:37:05,690 The original version's signature intro resulted 163 00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:08,388 from Eddie Willis accidentally kicking a reverb tank. 164 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:40,683 Johnny Griffith recorded for Motown's short-lived Workshopjazz label. 165 00:38:40,785 --> 00:38:44,744 His album, "jazz," received a four-star review from Downbeat in May 1963. 166 00:39:04,608 --> 00:39:07,138 Mickey Stevenson is surrounded by Jamerson (left), 167 00:39:07,139 --> 00:39:09,568 his wife and singer Kim Weston and jack Ashford. 168 00:39:27,765 --> 00:39:33,226 "Pride And joy" features some ofjoe Hunter's best piano playing at Motown. 169 00:39:33,337 --> 00:39:38,798 The session they're discussing was recorded midweek, September 12, 1962. 170 00:39:56,927 --> 00:40:01,387 Joe had been gigging with Hank Ballard and The Midnighters... 171 00:40:01,499 --> 00:40:06,960 when he took a gamble to go with Berry Gordy's new record venture in '58. 172 00:40:18,649 --> 00:40:23,279 Joe describes himself as a "down-home boogie woogie" piano player. 173 00:40:29,660 --> 00:40:32,195 Ethel Waters first popularized "Stormy 174 00:40:32,196 --> 00:40:35,530 Weather" in 1933, when joe was a very young boy. 175 00:41:45,236 --> 00:41:50,196 Lottie was originally a Lindy Hop dancer in New York in the late "40s. 176 00:41:50,307 --> 00:41:54,770 Soul singer Solomon Burke says she was "the first naked woman I ever saw 177 00:41:54,771 --> 00:41:55,870 - with a snake. " 178 00:42:40,624 --> 00:42:43,656 The two versions of "I Heard It Through The 179 00:42:43,657 --> 00:42:46,688 Grapevine," inspired by Lottie's rhythms... 180 00:42:46,797 --> 00:42:52,990 were recorded four months apart in 1967- Marvin Gaye's was cut first. 181 00:42:58,776 --> 00:43:01,670 They're standing on 12th Street, where the '67 182 00:43:01,671 --> 00:43:04,737 riots began. It's now known as Rosa Parks Boulevard. 183 00:43:08,819 --> 00:43:11,686 Martha jean "The Queen" Steinberg, a blues Dj on Wj LB... 184 00:43:11,789 --> 00:43:17,227 would routinely broadcast The Funk Brothers' jam sessions... 185 00:43:17,328 --> 00:43:21,788 at the Chit Chat during the glory days of the 1960s. 186 00:45:42,973 --> 00:45:47,933 Motown producerjohnny Bristol said The Funk Brothers "breathed together. " 187 00:45:48,450 --> 00:45:50,998 He once recalled a session where one of the guys went 188 00:45:50,999 --> 00:45:54,600 out to get a sandwich, came back five minutes later... 189 00:45:54,118 --> 00:45:59,249 and fell back into the groove as if he'd never left. 190 00:46:41,365 --> 00:46:44,259 The Funk Brothers are re-creating the original 191 00:46:44,260 --> 00:46:47,326 session recorded at Hitsville on September 28, 1965. 192 00:46:47,437 --> 00:46:50,361 Producer Norman Whitfield had written it as "Please 193 00:46:50,362 --> 00:46:53,398 Don't Leave Me Girl" and intended it for Marvin Gaye. 194 00:47:42,259 --> 00:47:45,267 With new lyrics by Eddie Holland, "Ain't Too Proud To 195 00:47:45,268 --> 00:47:48,220 Beg" by the Temptations reached number four in 1966. 196 00:49:12,416 --> 00:49:15,275 Kasuku Mafia, an original member of the Motown 197 00:49:15,276 --> 00:49:18,377 horn section, re-creates his solo from the record. 198 00:49:41,211 --> 00:49:46,649 Ben Harper also covered Marvin Gaye's only non-Motown hit, "Sexual Healing. " 199 00:50:19,416 --> 00:50:22,290 Motown engineering graduated to eight-track recording 200 00:50:22,291 --> 00:50:25,377 in january 1965, using hand-built machines that opened... 201 00:50:25,489 --> 00:50:28,504 the sonic spectrum and allowed room for 202 00:50:28,505 --> 00:50:31,519 the sophisticated arrangements cited. 203 00:50:45,275 --> 00:50:50,235 Earl Van Dyke joined in '63 and evolved into the bandleader a year later. 204 00:51:10,330 --> 00:51:14,493 He was called not only "Big Funk," but "Ookie" and "Chunk of Funk. " 205 00:51:19,676 --> 00:51:24,409 Earl's exceptional jazz-soul organ chops... 206 00:51:24,514 --> 00:51:27,648 can be heard on saxophonist Fred jackson's rare 207 00:51:27,649 --> 00:51:30,475 Blue Note album from 1963, Hootin' 'N Tootin. 208 00:51:42,332 --> 00:51:45,142 Berry Gordy instructed The Funk Brothers to teach 209 00:51:45,143 --> 00:51:47,895 young Stevie Wonder how to play piano and drums. 210 00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:50,732 The lessons would often turn comical, leaving Stevie 211 00:51:50,733 --> 00:51:53,306 locked in a closet after a game of Hide-And-Seek. 212 00:52:02,819 --> 00:52:07,449 Earl died of prostate cancer on September 19, 1992. 213 00:53:18,428 --> 00:53:22,888 Uriel, like Berry Gordy, was a young boxer. 214 00:53:22,999 --> 00:53:27,959 Elsewhere in the Snakepit, Robert White was an expert martial artist. 215 00:54:08,478 --> 00:54:11,368 PAC-3, United and Golden World were all Detroit 216 00:54:11,369 --> 00:54:14,439 studios located within a few minutes of Hitsville. 217 00:54:26,496 --> 00:54:30,956 The "few bucks" Eddie mentions rose from an initial $5 per track in late "59... 218 00:54:31,670 --> 00:54:35,697 to the union scale of $52.50 per three-hour session in 1964. 219 00:54:48,518 --> 00:54:53,979 Johnny's extra $100 a week then translates to more than $500 a week in 2002 dollars. 220 00:55:05,368 --> 00:55:08,348 Most of the Funks were salaried employees earning a 221 00:55:08,349 --> 00:55:11,329 steady income they could augment with outside gigs. 222 00:55:11,441 --> 00:55:16,743 Jamerson eventually made close to $100,000 a year in the late '60s. 223 00:56:45,402 --> 00:56:48,357 Bootsy performs "Cooljerk," originally a hit for Detroit 224 00:56:48,358 --> 00:56:51,363 group The Capitols. It was a Top 10 smash in spring 1966. 225 00:57:10,460 --> 00:57:13,376 The original "Cooljerk" session was one of the last cut at 226 00:57:13,377 --> 00:57:16,490 Golden World Studios, just before its purchase by Berry Gordy. 227 00:57:16,599 --> 00:57:21,127 Golden World was to become Motown's "Studio B." 228 00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:46,504 Johnny Griffith, Eddie Willis and Bob Babbitt 229 00:57:46,505 --> 00:57:49,159 re-create their original parts from the record. 230 00:57:49,265 --> 00:57:52,475 The original session also included saxophonist Mike 231 00:57:52,476 --> 00:57:55,500 Terry and future Motown guitarist Dennis Coffey. 232 00:58:58,835 --> 00:59:04,239 Between 1962 and 1975, 75 percent of all Motown releases made the Pop charts. 233 00:59:04,340 --> 00:59:09,972 In December '68, Motown held the top three spots for four weeks. 234 00:59:28,970 --> 00:59:33,558 The Tamla-Motown UK tour ran from March 20 through April 12, 1965. 235 00:59:33,670 --> 00:59:36,905 The Funks not only backed the stars, they 236 00:59:36,906 --> 00:59:40,371 were billed as "The Earl Van Dyke Sextet"... 237 00:59:40,476 --> 00:59:45,971 and had two instrumental singles already in the market: "All For You" and "Soul Stomp. " 238 01:00:01,497 --> 01:00:06,958 The Beatles also paid Motown homage by having Mary Wells open their '64 UK tour. 239 01:00:07,700 --> 01:00:10,631 Motown's Brenda Holloway opened dates on their '65 U.S. tour. 240 01:01:00,523 --> 01:01:03,380 Earl Van Dyke remembers Smokey pushing for more than 40 241 01:01:03,390 --> 01:01:05,688 takes of"The Tears Of A Clown. " Take nine became the hit. 242 01:01:24,313 --> 01:01:26,405 The Funks created the hit track for 243 01:01:26,406 --> 01:01:29,273 "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" in 14 takes. 244 01:01:29,385 --> 01:01:34,516 The vocal overdubs by the Four Tops, however, required 52 takes. 245 01:02:12,962 --> 01:02:18,457 Jack Ashford played dozens of percussion instruments. Some were his own invention... 246 01:02:18,568 --> 01:02:24,302 like the "hotel sheet," which he used on Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up. " 247 01:02:54,300 --> 01:02:59,310 Neither drummer, Pistol nor Uriel, let on during filming that they were ill. 248 01:02:59,142 --> 01:03:04,603 Uriel required quintuple bypass surgery soon after production closed. 249 01:03:04,714 --> 01:03:07,757 Pistol was diagnosed with terminal cancer and 250 01:03:07,758 --> 01:03:10,675 died june 30, 2002, before the film's release. 251 01:03:19,280 --> 01:03:22,828 Pistol, with tongue-in-cheek, describes a basic pop-rock beat. 252 01:03:33,609 --> 01:03:36,699 Pistol Allen was the master of the "Beale Street" 253 01:03:36,700 --> 01:03:39,912 shuffle and the Motown "four on the floor"' groove. 254 01:03:49,580 --> 01:03:53,859 The "Beale Street" shuffle originated in Memphis, Tennessee. 255 01:04:02,710 --> 01:04:08,320 Pistol describes the session with producer Norman Whitfield on February 3, 1967. 256 01:04:08,144 --> 01:04:12,604 It was a track intended for the Temptations. 257 01:04:21,900 --> 01:04:25,789 Instead, Marvin Gaye overdubbed "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" a few days later. 258 01:04:45,114 --> 01:04:49,160 Ben Harper sings Marvin's version, which at that time, sat in the can. 259 01:04:49,118 --> 01:04:51,700 Gladys Knight and The Pips' faster version was 260 01:04:51,701 --> 01:04:54,454 recorded, issued and eventually hit number two. 261 01:05:10,206 --> 01:05:13,880 Producer Whitfield fought with Berry 262 01:05:13,890 --> 01:05:16,611 Gordy for the release of Marvin's version. 263 01:05:16,712 --> 01:05:19,840 It was stuck on an album more than a year later. 264 01:05:34,263 --> 01:05:37,892 Radio found it and forced its release as a single in November 1968... 265 01:05:38,000 --> 01:05:43,632 when it became Motown's most successful record to that point. 266 01:06:15,370 --> 01:06:20,236 Marvin's "Grapevine" was number one in the U.S. and the UK... 267 01:06:20,343 --> 01:06:24,939 staying on top the U.S. RandB chart for nearly two months. 268 01:07:02,510 --> 01:07:06,511 Benny's substance abuse led to chronic heart disease. 269 01:07:18,601 --> 01:07:21,163 Motown logs indicate only two, brief sessions 270 01:07:21,164 --> 01:07:23,202 for April 20, 1969, the day Benny died 271 01:07:23,203 --> 01:07:24,562 - and none the day after. 272 01:08:53,950 --> 01:08:57,691 Joe Messina was considered the best music reader of all The Funk Brothers. 273 01:09:01,504 --> 01:09:06,806 He played the complicated written parts. 274 01:09:17,153 --> 01:09:23,114 Berry Gordy produced and released Marv johnson's hit "Come To Me," in 1959... 275 01:09:23,225 --> 01:09:27,685 the first record on his independent Tamla label. 276 01:09:38,730 --> 01:09:40,877 Joe was a staff guitarist at WXYZ-TV. More than 10 years 277 01:09:40,878 --> 01:09:43,534 after he played for Soupy Sales' nighttime TV band... 278 01:09:43,646 --> 01:09:49,607 Soupy became a national comic sensation and released a novelty album on Motown in 1969. 279 01:10:19,715 --> 01:10:21,740 Eddie "Bongo" Brown started his career as Marvin Gaye's valet. 280 01:10:29,892 --> 01:10:34,989 Respect for Eddie's contributions shows in the Motown recording set-up: 281 01:10:35,970 --> 01:10:37,608 unlike the three guitars, which were combined on one 282 01:10:37,609 --> 01:10:40,262 track, his congas were usually given their own track... 283 01:10:40,369 --> 01:10:45,329 so his sound wouldn't be buried by the other instruments. 284 01:11:21,510 --> 01:11:26,140 Joan and jack are at the Parkwood Diner in Oak, Michigan... 285 01:11:26,248 --> 01:11:30,708 talking about the single, "Soul 35022," released june 1966. 286 01:11:49,710 --> 01:11:51,907 The Funks re-create the original track recorded for 287 01:11:51,908 --> 01:11:54,907 "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" on August 3, 1965. 288 01:12:15,664 --> 01:12:18,320 The original single byjimmy Ruffin - brother 289 01:12:18,321 --> 01:12:21,625 ofTemptation David Ruffin - hit the Top 10 in summer "66. 290 01:12:37,753 --> 01:12:43,214 The track was originally given different lyrics and sung by the Isley Brothers. 291 01:12:43,325 --> 01:12:48,592 When rewritten,jimmy "took" the song from the Spinners. 292 01:13:15,791 --> 01:13:17,995 Paul Riser, seen in this film, wrote the 293 01:13:17,996 --> 01:13:20,751 song's sublime arrangement and is its co-author. 294 01:14:09,812 --> 01:14:12,732 Additional keyboardist Rudy Robinson, seen here 295 01:14:12,733 --> 01:14:15,773 in the top hat, was a good friend to the Funks... 296 01:14:15,884 --> 01:14:19,376 and did many gigs with them after Motown. 297 01:14:19,488 --> 01:14:23,447 He died shortly after the film was completed. 298 01:14:35,437 --> 01:14:40,602 Seth justman, a member of thej. Geils Band and the brother of director Pauljustman... 299 01:14:40,709 --> 01:14:44,543 arranged this dramatic breakdown for the film. 300 01:16:05,928 --> 01:16:10,922 Robert White recorded his famous guitar line to "My Girl" with the rest of the Funks... 301 01:16:11,330 --> 01:16:16,335 on a Friday at Hitsville, September 25, 1964. 302 01:16:29,818 --> 01:16:34,448 Smokey Robinson wrote and produced "My Girl"... 303 01:16:34,556 --> 01:16:40,188 then taught it to the Temptations while backstage at NY's Apollo Theater. 304 01:17:13,195 --> 01:17:18,428 During Robert's fallow L.A. period, he sold his beloved black Gibson L-5 guitar. 305 01:17:18,533 --> 01:17:22,940 He returned to performing and recording in the early 1990s... 306 01:17:22,204 --> 01:17:25,401 before he died unexpectedly in '94 of complications after heart surgery. 307 01:18:45,954 --> 01:18:48,969 Also in the mix on the local scene: The Parliaments, 308 01:18:48,970 --> 01:18:51,984 led by former Motown staff writer, George Clinton... 309 01:18:52,940 --> 01:18:55,273 whose outrageous funk - often augmented by a few 310 01:18:55,274 --> 01:18:58,192 ofThe Funk Brothers - caught Whitfield's ears. 311 01:19:26,328 --> 01:19:31,288 Dennis describes a short-lived Motown "Producer's Workshop"... 312 01:19:31,399 --> 01:19:34,664 created by the Motown brass in the summer-fall of 1968. 313 01:19:48,160 --> 01:19:50,767 Uriel plays his original drum part while Pistol 314 01:19:50,768 --> 01:19:53,977 re-creates the part originally played by "Spider" Webb. 315 01:20:09,671 --> 01:20:14,131 "Cloud Nine" was originally recorded in 16 takes on October 1, 1968. 316 01:20:22,500 --> 01:20:24,587 Carla Benson was a renowned Philadelphia 317 01:20:24,588 --> 01:20:28,110 International session singer for more than a decade. 318 01:20:35,163 --> 01:20:38,599 "Cloud Nine" was a Top 10 hit and Motown's first Grammy Award winner. 319 01:21:03,725 --> 01:21:08,287 John Ingram was singer and road drummer for Patti LaBelle. 320 01:21:22,430 --> 01:21:26,412 "Cloud Nine" was the first Temptations hit to feature multiple lead singers. 321 01:23:10,218 --> 01:23:15,679 Nate and Ralphe are speaking about Bob Babbitt's bass solo in "Scorpio"... 322 01:23:15,790 --> 01:23:21,251 the Top 10 hit by Dennis Coffey and The Detroit Guitar Band from 1971. 323 01:23:53,261 --> 01:23:56,214 Babbitt is depicted in the famed Roostertail club on 324 01:23:56,215 --> 01:23:59,222 the Detroit River, home of the "Motown Monday" shows. 325 01:24:19,287 --> 01:24:25,248 Babbitt is shown here with his teen band The Counts. 326 01:24:33,268 --> 01:24:38,228 This was Babbitt's band The Royal Tones - that's Dennis Coffey at left. 327 01:24:42,110 --> 01:24:44,487 He joined Stevie Wonder's road band in '66. His first 328 01:24:44,488 --> 01:24:47,173 recordings at Hitsville were album tracks for Stevie in '67. 329 01:24:58,326 --> 01:25:03,354 Albums sessions for "What's Going On" were done in 10 frantic days. 330 01:25:03,465 --> 01:25:09,131 Songs were cut in the sequence they were eventually released. 331 01:25:38,366 --> 01:25:42,826 Jamerson recorded the first half of the album. 332 01:25:42,937 --> 01:25:45,530 Babbitt handled the second half 333 01:25:45,540 --> 01:25:48,398 - "Mercy Mercy Me" through "Inner City Blues. " 334 01:26:01,356 --> 01:26:06,316 This rare performance footage is from a benefit for Rev. jessejackson's... 335 01:26:06,427 --> 01:26:11,570 Operation PUSH in Chicago, October 1, 1972. 336 01:28:11,190 --> 01:28:13,683 Racial confrontations also escalated into urban 337 01:28:13,684 --> 01:28:16,514 riots in Newark, Nj; New York City; Cleveland, OH; 338 01:28:16,624 --> 01:28:20,526 Washington, D.C.; Chicago, I L and Atlanta, GA, in the summer of'67. 339 01:28:28,536 --> 01:28:31,545 The Funks had been recording "Ain't Nothing Like The 340 01:28:31,546 --> 01:28:34,497 Real Thing" a few hours before the riots broke out. 341 01:28:34,609 --> 01:28:39,690 Sessions were cancelled for the next 10 days. 342 01:28:58,566 --> 01:29:02,593 Before the National Guard ended the Detroit riots on july 25... 343 01:29:02,704 --> 01:29:08,336 43 African Americans were killed, 1,189 were injured and 7,231 were arrested. 344 01:30:01,629 --> 01:30:06,890 During these sessions Marvin was like a Funk Brother... 345 01:30:06,200 --> 01:30:10,660 playing piano and percussion alongside them. 346 01:30:23,651 --> 01:30:26,241 Chaka Khan sings the song Marvin created after 347 01:30:26,242 --> 01:30:28,611 his family was scarred by the Vietnam War. 348 01:30:28,723 --> 01:30:34,355 His cousin died in the war, and his brother Frankie returned home with horror stories. 349 01:30:47,175 --> 01:30:52,545 For the album's sessions, Marvin hired Chet Forest, a local jazz drummer. 350 01:31:00,210 --> 01:31:03,354 Pistol is re-creating Marvin's original percussion part played on a "box drum. " 351 01:31:14,635 --> 01:31:20,369 This arrangement is based on David Van De Pitte's original score. 352 01:31:41,128 --> 01:31:45,588 Tom Scott transposed Eli Fontaine's original alto sax part to his soprano sax. 353 01:31:56,210 --> 01:32:01,807 Berry Gordy at first rejected "What's Going On. " 354 01:32:01,916 --> 01:32:04,704 He not only didn't want a protest song, he didn't 355 01:32:04,705 --> 01:32:07,548 like the "Dizzy Gillespie scatting" in the middle. 356 01:32:38,520 --> 01:32:39,915 Original background singers on the record were 357 01:32:39,916 --> 01:32:41,818 Lem Barney and Mel Farr of the Detroit Lions... 358 01:32:41,923 --> 01:32:45,791 The Miracles' Bobby Rogers and Motown's other unsung heroes... 359 01:32:45,893 --> 01:32:49,761 The Andantes: Louvain Demps, Marlene Barrow and jackie Hicks. 360 01:33:58,866 --> 01:34:01,853 Eddie Willis stands on the bridge to Detroit's Belle 361 01:34:01,854 --> 01:34:04,896 Isle, where many Motown company picnics took place... 362 01:34:05,600 --> 01:34:08,965 and wherejamerson drove with friends, despondent over Motown's move west. 363 01:34:29,897 --> 01:34:34,698 The "hits to come" in Detroit after "What's Going On"... 364 01:34:34,802 --> 01:34:40,604 included The Temptations' "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and The Supremes' "Floyjoy. " 365 01:35:16,944 --> 01:35:20,903 Motown had been recording in Los Angeles since the mid-"60s... 366 01:35:21,150 --> 01:35:25,645 and set up corporate offices in Los Angeles in 1968. 367 01:35:25,753 --> 01:35:28,604 Upon officially leaving Detroit in '72, Motown left 368 01:35:28,605 --> 01:35:31,714 behind a skeletal staff to oversee occasional studio dates. 369 01:36:01,122 --> 01:36:06,560 Jamerson's West Coast sessions included The Sylvers' "Boogie Fever"... 370 01:36:06,660 --> 01:36:09,760 The Hues Corp. 's "Rock The Boat" and Marilyn McCoo 371 01:36:09,761 --> 01:36:12,621 and Billy Davis's "You Don't Have To Be A Star. " 372 01:36:45,366 --> 01:36:50,827 Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Foreverwas filmed at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. 373 01:36:50,938 --> 01:36:55,398 Jamerson died at the age of 47, August 2, 1983. 374 01:37:12,193 --> 01:37:15,526 Jamerson's obituary in Rolling Stone by singer/ Detroit native Marshall Crenshaw... 375 01:37:15,629 --> 01:37:19,895 inspired Allan Slutsky to write the book Standing In The Shadows Of Motown. 376 01:37:30,578 --> 01:37:33,392 After Motown's L.A. move, Uriel and 377 01:37:33,393 --> 01:37:36,608 Pistol stayed in Detroit to play gigs. 378 01:37:36,717 --> 01:37:39,738 Jack became a producer, then gave up music until 379 01:37:39,739 --> 01:37:42,883 this film. "Bongo" played until his death in 1983. 380 01:37:56,871 --> 01:37:59,669 Eddie went on tour with the Four Tops for 20 years... 381 01:37:59,773 --> 01:38:02,799 Joe retired to open a chain of car washes and jewelry stores... 382 01:38:02,910 --> 01:38:06,175 while Robert slipped in and out of music. 383 01:38:09,490 --> 01:38:11,604 Joe kept playing after "63. Earl toured with Freda 384 01:38:11,605 --> 01:38:14,900 Payne and taught at Detroit's public schools... 385 01:38:14,121 --> 01:38:16,749 as did johnny, between his gigs. 386 01:38:16,857 --> 01:38:22,159 Babbitt became a premier session bassist in New York, Philadelphia and Nashville... 387 01:38:22,263 --> 01:38:25,960 creating tracks for The Spinners, Elton john, Alice Cooper and many others. 388 01:39:11,145 --> 01:39:13,430 Montell and Chaka perform Marvin Gaye and Tammi 389 01:39:13,431 --> 01:39:16,480 Terrell's version of"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"... 390 01:39:16,150 --> 01:39:19,483 a Top 20 hit in spring 1967. 391 01:39:28,529 --> 01:39:32,560 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was originally recorded in Studio B... 392 01:39:32,166 --> 01:39:37,160 as a solo track for Tammi on December 20, 1966. 393 01:39:41,508 --> 01:39:45,239 Standing 6'8", Montell is the only one on stage taller than jack Ashford. 394 01:39:45,346 --> 01:39:48,611 Chaka and her group Rufus got their break when Motown's Stevie Wonder... 395 01:39:48,716 --> 01:39:52,618 wrote their first hit, "Tell Me Something Good. " 396 01:40:01,295 --> 01:40:04,458 Uriel played with Benny on the original version. 397 01:40:04,565 --> 01:40:08,729 He played with Andrew Smith on the 1970 remake by Diana Ross. 398 01:41:06,460 --> 01:41:09,427 Postscript: johnny Griffith died hours before 399 01:41:09,428 --> 01:41:12,920 the film's Detroit premiere, Nov. 10, 2002.