While many of us gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving day, music industry pioneer Berry Gordy will likely still be basking in the glow of being fêted by his nearest and dearest. The founder of Motown celebrates his 95th birthday on Nov. 28, a milestone commemorated over the weekend at a star-studded gathering in the music mogul’s honor.
“95 where?!” wrote Tracee Ellis Ross alongside an array of visuals from the evening. The carousel included a video of a remarkably spry Gordy, whom she lovingly calls “Uncle BB,” dancing and beaming from ear to ear.
Of course, Gordy isn’t simply the mastermind who founded the label that launched Ellis Ross’ mother, Diana Ross, to stardom alongside so many other now-iconic acts. He is also the father of Ross’ firstborn daughter, singer Rhonda Ross Kendrick, who celebrated Gordy’s big day with a tribute of her own.
To call Gordy’s life incredible is almost an understatement. Born on Nov. 28, 1929, in Detroit, Gordy was a 28-year-old former boxer and Korean War veteran armed with a GED when he co-wrote Jackie Wilson’s “Reet Petite,” the first in a string of hit songs to follow. Investing his profits back into a producing career, he launched his first record label, Tamla, in 1959 with an $800 family loan. In 1960, he merged the company with his Motown label to form the Motown Record Corporation, with flagship artists like singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson and his group The Miracles, singer Mary Wells, and girl group The Marvelettes.
Over the next decade, Motown would become an industry powerhouse and cultural phenomenon, introducing the world to Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Jackson 5, The Commodores, Rick James and, of course, The Supremes featuring Diana Ross, to name a few.
In 1988, Gordy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2013, he would become the first living artist to receive the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Pioneer Award. President Barack Obama honored Gordy with the National Medal of Arts in 2016, crediting him with “helping to create a trailblazing new sound in American music … [and ] launching the music careers of countless legendary artists.”
“His unique sound helped shape our nation’s story,” said Obama, as reported by NPR.
As previously reported by theGrio, after selling Motown in 1988, Gordy announced his retirement at the Detroit celebration of the famed label’s 60th anniversary in 2019.
“I have come full circle,” he said onstage during the Motown 60th anniversary event, one of several held this year to celebrate the company. “It is only appropriate (to announce this) while here in Detroit, the city where my fairy tale happened with all of you.” That same year, Gordy’s adopted home of Los Angeles designated the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Argyle, the former location of Motown’s offices, Berry Gordy Square. Gordy became a Kennedy Center honoree in 2021.
In addition to longtime friends and former collaborators like Wonder, legendary Motown exec Suzanne DePasse, and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., actor Billy Dee Williams, who appeared opposite Ross in multiple Motown-produced films, was on hand at last weekend’s festivities to honor Gordy and his enduring legacy.
“Berry, your genius gave the world a soundtrack that transcends generations, a rhythm that brought people together, and stories that touched every corner of the globe,” wrote Williams, 87, on Instagram. “Your passion for music, your eye for talent, and your commitment to excellence have shaped not only an industry but also a legacy of love and unity.
“I am honored to call you a treasured friend,” he continued. “Your wisdom, kindness, and relentless spirit inspire me and so many others every single day.”
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