Motown was run like a corporation. The best musicians were brought aboard as the house band for all recordings, known as the Funk Brothers. There is a wonderful documentary called ‘Living in the Shadows of Motown’ which details the genius of these artists. Berry had a charm school for all the singer/employees, and became their defacto fathers in times of personal crisis. Here are the most amazing Motown fun facts you’ll ever read…
Diana Ross was actually born Diane, but the birth certificate mis-spelled her first name, so the family thought of it as divine intervention and went with it.
If we asked you to tell us the biggest selling Motown singles of all time, you’d probably say a 4 Tops, Supremes, or Temptations song. Nope! The best-selling Motown single of all time is the Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You” tune. “Hello” by Lionel Richie is second.
The Motown backup or studio band known as the “Funk Brothers,” are on more hits or charted singles than the combined charted songs of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and Elvis.
Not all Motown acts were African American. Meatloaf, Teena Marie, Kiki Dee, Rare Earth, Bruce Willis, Frankie Valli, and R. Dean Taylor were all on the Motown label at some point of their careers.
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