[PineHallGirl]

Wherever I go in these united states, I am forever proud of being from Michigan...when I hear a Motown song, I get homesick. Just think how many groups became legendary...I can't stop counting....Let's see, how about, ~Marvin Gaye, Brook Benton, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Al Green, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Glenn Frey, Bob Seger, Mitch Ryder and his Detroit Wheels, Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Madonna, ? & The Mysterians and...more, more, more!

I am so glad I grew up in the 1960's in Southern Michigan. What a cool place to be from. What other state has such a rich musical heritage?

When I hear a classic Motown song, I'm so proud of Michigan. ( I also start dancing in supermarkets...)

[MICoastieMom]

So I watched 'Dreamgirls' today, taped it from yesterday. Got all nostaglic for those happy days of my youth and was crying at the end.

[Wingnatic]

And thats just a handful mentioned above . Nothing against Cleveland , but it makes one wonder why the powers that be , put the rock n roll Hall Of Fame there .

[canudigit]

Well, if there is ever a Motown Hall of Fame, it will be in Detroit. to put it anywhere else would just be wrong. I know there is already a Motown museum, but does it have a hall of fame within it? I have never been to it, but from the pictures I've seen, it looks like it's located in a former private home or something. I would love to see them put a much larger one downtown near one of the people mover stops.

[1coolcustomer]

Never was a fan of Motown, but Bob Seger, Grand Funk Railroad, Nuggent and Alice Cooper are top notch IMO.

[MICoastieMom]

The Motown Museum is the original home of Motown Records where the Supremes, Temptations, Stevie Wonder, et al, got thier start under the watchful eye of Barry Gordy. Yes, Hitsville was located in a lovely old house on Grand Blvd. Eventually the offices were house in the adjacent eight houses as well. The sound studios, etc, are essentially the way they were left. when they moved into an office building.

[PineHallGirl]

Originally Posted by MICoastieMom

So I watched 'Dreamgirls' today, taped it from yesterday. Got all nostaglic for those happy days of my youth and was crying at the end.

MICoastie, nothing stirs my fire like Motown music. When I hear Marvin Gaye sing with Tammy Terrell...every darn time I hear it...I have to start moving. My Ipod is full of Motown. I watched Dreamgirls too, one movie I would not have missed!

Btw, who was Eddie Murphy portraying? James Brown?

[tuebor]

Related threads:

What is the music of Michigan?

You favorite musicians from Michigan...?

[Wingnatic]

If you take a look at every act on every day on every month of every year at the Grande Ballroom at this website , it really does make one wonder why the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame was put in Cleveland (nothing against Cleveland ) The Grande Ballroom was often referred to the '' Fillmore East '' after the Fillmore in San Francisco during that/my era . Bands wanted to play at the Fillmore and the Grande Ballroom . I think they should just put the Hall of Fame on a barge , float it up here and unload it in downtown Detroit where it belongs lol Each day of every month is clickable to see who played on those dates :
The Grande Ballroom Show List

[MICoastieMom]

Originally Posted by PineHallGirl

MICoastie, nothing stirs my fire like Motown music. When I hear Marvin Gaye sing with Tammy Terrell...every darn time I hear it...I have to start moving. My Ipod is full of Motown. I watched Dreamgirls too, one movie I would not have missed!

Btw, who was Eddie Murphy portraying? James Brown?

That, my friend, is the $64,0000 question! I don't think it was James Brown. First, I have no memory of James Brown recording with Motown. Second, there was a point in the movie where he was asking his entourage who was the first to wear shiny clothes, scream during the song, and fall down on stage. Then he answers himself by saying it wasn't Little Richard or JB (James Brown) or someone else whose name escapes me at the moment.

I thought perhaps it was supposed be Marvin Gaye, he was the most notable singer to challenge Barry Gordy and the status quo as far as creative license vs marketing. In the movie, Eddie Murphy is seen recording a 'message' song and wearing that knit cap like Gaye did. However, I believe Gaye came from gospel music and doo wop rather than rockabilly so he wouldn't have changed his style dramatically.

There was a singer, who did start in rockabilly like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, who sang for Motown. His music style did change, but I don't think he had as great success as some other Motown singers. His name was Marv Johnson. He did not die from a drug overdose, though. In fact, my research shows no one who fits the bill who died from an OD. There were some members of the Temptations and/or Miracles who did OD, but I am not aware of a single act who did, unless you want to count Micheal Jackson, and even he didn't start as a single. (And of course, he hadn't passed when this musical was written.)

I am wondering if the Eddie Murphy character isn't a composite of several individuals in order to bring these issues in without bogging down the storyline.