178-565: Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records ", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes , who became Motown 's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. They remain the best-charting female group in history, with a total of 12 number-one pop singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 , including " Where Did Our Love Go ", " Baby Love ", " Come See About Me ", " Stop! In
356-430: A $ 24 million production, but upon its October 1978 release, it earned only $ 21,049,053 at the box office. Though pre-release television broadcast rights had been sold to CBS for over $ 10 million, the film produced a net loss of $ 10.4 million for Motown and Universal. At the time, it was the most expensive film musical ever made. The film's failure ended Ross's short career on the big screen and contributed to
534-628: A North American distribution deal with the label in 1983) and Boston Ventures in June 1988 for $ 61 million. In 1989, Gordy sold the Motown Productions TV/film operations to Motown executive Suzanne de Passe , who renamed the company de Passe Entertainment and continues to run it as of 2018 . Gordy continued to retain the Jobete music publishing catalog, selling it separately to EMI Music Publishing in parts between 1997 and 2004. It
712-453: A Sparrow . During a 1967 performance in Boston, Massachusetts, Ross collapsed onstage and had to be hospitalized for exhaustion. In 1968, Ross began to perform as a solo artist on television specials, including the Supremes' own specials such as TCB and G.I.T. on Broadway , The Dinah Shore Show , and a Bob Hope special, among others. In mid-1969, Gordy decided that Ross would depart
890-779: A branch museum in New York City. On November 18, 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC opened in Manhattan 's SoHo district. Located at 76 Mercer Street just west of Broadway , the Annex occupied an underground space of 25,000 square feet (2,300 m ). The branch museum operated in much the same way as its Cleveland parent, featuring archetypal display pieces like Prince 's coat from Purple Rain , David Byrne 's "big suit" from Stop Making Sense , and Elvis Presley 's motorcycle jacket and his Bible. But from its start
1068-567: A certain level financially." By the 1970s, the Motown "hit factory" had become a target of a backlash from some fans of rock music. Record producer Pete Waterman recalls of this period: "I was a DJ for years and I worked for Motown – the press at the time, papers like NME , used to call it Toytown. When I DJ'd on the Poly circuit, the students wanted me to play Spooky Tooth and Velvet Underground . Things don't change. Nowadays, of course, Motown
1246-457: A collaboration with Michael Jackson and Gibb, also performed well. Both songs had strong music videos that propelled the tracks to success. The "Eaten Alive" video was patterned after the 1970s horror film The Island of Dr. Moreau , while the one for " Chain Reaction " saluted the 1960s American Bandstand -style TV shows. The video for "Experience", the third single from the album, reignited
1424-518: A dramatic role in the television film, Out of Darkness . Ross won acclaim for her role in the TV movie and earned her third Golden Globe nomination. In 1994, One Woman: The Ultimate Collection , a career retrospective compilation, became a number one hit in the UK, selling quadruple platinum. The retrospective was EMI's alternative to Motown's box set Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs . Ross performed during
1602-748: A duet album with fellow Motown artist Marvin Gaye . The album became an international hit. Touring throughout 1973, Ross became the first entertainer in Japan's history to receive an invitation to the Imperial Palace for a private audience with the Empress Nagako , wife of Emperor Hirohito . In April 1974, Ross became the first African-American woman to co-host the Academy Awards , with John Huston , Burt Reynolds , and David Niven . After
1780-420: A free concert on Central Park 's Great Lawn , aired live worldwide by Showtime . Proceeds of the concert would be donated to build a playground in the singer's name. Midway through the beginning of the show, a torrential downpour began. Ross tried to continue performing, but the severe weather forced the show to be stopped after 45 minutes. Ross urged the large crowd to exit the venue safely, promising to perform
1958-533: A gross income of $ 20 million by the end of 1966. Early Tamla/Motown artists included Mable John , Eddie Holland and Mary Wells . " Shop Around ", the Miracles' first number 1 R&B hit, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. It was Tamla's first million-selling record. On April 14, 1960, Motown and Tamla Records merged into a new company called Motown Record Corporation. A year later,
SECTION 10
#17327829475092136-584: A key role in breaking several major acts in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s, including David Bowie , who began his first U.S. tour in the city, Bruce Springsteen , Roxy Music , and Rush among many others. During early discussions on where to build the Hall of Fame and Museum, the Foundation's board considered a site along the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland. Ultimately, the chosen location
2314-555: A key role in the early days of Motown, leading the company's first session group, The Rayber Voices, and overseeing Jobete. The studio that Gordy purchased in 1959 would become Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio. The photography studio located in the back of the property was modified into a small recording studio, and the Gordys moved into the second-floor living quarters. Within seven years, Motown would occupy seven additional neighboring houses: Motown had hired over 450 employees and had
2492-408: A larger performance fee for a solo star and a backing group, as it did for other renamed Motown groups. Gordy initially considered having Ross leave the Supremes for a solo career in 1966, eventually changing his mind because he felt the group's success was still too significant for Ross to pursue solo obligations. Ross remained with the Supremes until early 1970. As the lead voice of the Supremes, she
2670-872: A later Friday morning meeting, as producer Norman Whitfield did with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and the Temptations' " Ain't Too Proud to Beg ". Many of Motown's best-known songs, including all the early hits for the Supremes , were written by the songwriting trio of Holland–Dozier–Holland ( Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland ). Other important Motown producers and songwriters included Norman Whitfield , William "Mickey" Stevenson , Smokey Robinson , Barrett Strong , Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson , Frank Wilson , Pamela Sawyer & Gloria Jones , James Dean & William Weatherspoon , Johnny Bristol , Harvey Fuqua , Gil Askey , Stevie Wonder , and Gordy himself. The style created by
2848-849: A lot of discussion about this," said Terry Stewart, a member of the nominating committee. "There had always been conversations about why the groups weren't included when the lead singers were inducted. Very honestly, nobody could really answer that question – it was so long ago ... We decided we'd sit down as an organization and look at that. This is the result." Early Influences includes artists from earlier eras, primarily country , folk , jazz , and blues , whose music inspired and influenced rock and roll artists. Other notable artists that have been inducted as Early Influences include Bill Kenny & The Ink Spots , country musicians Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams , blues musician Howlin' Wolf , and jazz musicians Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong . After Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday in 2000, no one
3026-495: A new name for the group. Ballard chose "Supremes", reportedly, because it was the only name on the list that did not end with "ette". Upon hearing the new name, the other members weren't impressed, with Ross telling Ballard she feared the group would be mistaken for a male vocal group (a male vocal group was, indeed, named the Supremes). Gordy signed the group under their new name on January 15, 1961. A year later, Barbara Martin left
3204-477: A peak-popular hit of 1958. Between 1957 and 1958, Gordy wrote or produced over a hundred sides for various artists, with his siblings Anna, Gwen and Robert, and other collaborators in varying combinations. In 1957, Gordy met Smokey Robinson , a local seventeen-year-old singer fronting a vocal harmony group called the Matadors. Gordy was interested in the doo-wop style that Robinson sang. In 1958, Gordy recorded
3382-512: A photography studio at 2648 West Grand Boulevard and converted the main floor into a recording studio and office space. Now, rather than shopping his songs to other artists or leasing his recordings to outside companies, Gordy began using the Tamla and Motown imprints to release songs that he wrote and produced. He incorporated Motown Records in April 1960. Smokey Robinson became the vice president of
3560-544: A producer for Erykah Badu, became the head of the label, and oversaw successful recordings from Badu, McKnight, Michael McDonald , and new Motown artist India.Arie . Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and the Temptations had remained with the label since its early days, although all except Wonder recorded for other labels for several years. Ross left Motown for RCA Records from 1981 to 1988, but returned in 1989 and stayed until 2002, while Robinson left Motown in 1991 (although he did return to release one more album for
3738-545: A schoolgirl to a schoolteacher. The role of the Scarecrow, also performed by someone else onstage, was eventually given to Ross's former Motown labelmate, Michael Jackson . Ross and Jackson had a modest dance hit with their recording for the film of " Ease on Down the Road ". Their second duet, actually as part of the ensemble of The Wiz , "Brand New Day", found some success overseas. The film adaptation of The Wiz had been
SECTION 20
#17327829475093916-532: A second label in 1960. The two labels featured the same writers, producers and artists. Many more subsidiary labels were established later under the umbrella of the Motown parent company, including Gordy Records, Soul Records and VIP Records; in reality the Motown Record Corporation controlled all of these labels. Most of the distinctions between Motown labels were largely arbitrary, with the same writers, producers and musicians working on all
4094-558: A similar arrangement, most significantly with United Artists . In 1958, Gordy wrote and produced " Come to Me " for Marv Johnson . Seeing that the song had great crossover potential, Gordy leased it to United Artists for national distribution but also released it locally on his own startup imprint. Needing $ 800 to cover his end of the deal, Gordy asked his family to borrow money from a cooperative family savings account. After some debate, his family agreed, and in January 1959 "Come to Me"
4272-483: A solo artist, as the other half of a duet, as a member of a trio, and as an ensemble member, a total of 18. In 2021, Billboard ranked her the 30th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time. Her hits as a Supreme and a solo artist combined put Ross among the top-five artists on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart from 1955 to 2018. She has sung lead on a top 75 hit single at least once every year from 1964 to 1996 in
4450-876: A split from the Supremes in Billboard . Ross's presumed first solo recording, "Someday We'll Be Together", was eventually released as a Supremes recording and became the group's final number-one hit on the Hot 100. It was also the final number-one Billboard Hot 100 single of the 1960s. Ross made her final appearance with the Supremes at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas , Nevada on January 14, 1970. In May 1970, Ross released her eponymous debut solo album , which included her signature songs , " Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) " and " Ain't No Mountain High Enough ",
4628-469: A store, and a café. "In designing this building," Pei said, "it was my intention to echo the energy of rock and roll. I have consciously used an architectural vocabulary that is bold and new, and I hope the building will become a dramatic landmark for the city of Cleveland and for fans of rock and roll around the world." In 2006 the RRHOF partnered with three entertainment production companies to create
4806-584: A subsidiary of Capitol Records . In late 2018, Motown began celebrating its 60th anniversary by reissuing numerous albums from their catalog. Motown UK launched in September 2020 under Universal UK's EMI Records (formerly Virgin EMI Records ) division. Motown Records joined Interscope Capitol Labels Group in 2024. Motown specialized in a type of soul music it referred to with the trademark "The Motown sound". Crafted with an ear towards pop appeal,
4984-456: A tribute to Marvin Gaye , who had been killed earlier that year . Swept Away garnered gold record sales status. Her 1985 album Eaten Alive , produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees , garnered a number one single overseas and a Top 20 spot on the album charts. The song " Chain Reaction " reached number one in the U.K., Australia, South Africa, Israel and Ireland, and the title track ,
5162-521: A week of events including free concerts, a gospel celebration, exhibition openings, free admission to the museum, and induction ceremonies at Public Hall. Millions viewed the television broadcast of the Cleveland inductions; tens of thousands traveled to Ohio during induction week to participate in the events. The economic impact of the 2009 induction week activities was more than $ 13 million, and it provided an additional $ 20 million in media exposure for
5340-479: Is chronicled in the 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown , which publicised the fact that these musicians "played on more number-one records than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined". Ashford later played on Raphael Saadiq 's 2008 album The Way I See It , whose recording and production were modelled after the Motown sound. Much of the Motown sound came from
5518-416: Is currently owned by Sony Music Publishing (Sony/ATV until 2021) through the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in 2012 (as a leader of the consortium and eventually assigned full ownership in 2018). During the 1990s, Motown was home to successful recording artists such as Boyz II Men and Johnny Gill , although the company itself remained in a state of turmoil. MCA appointed a series of executives to run
Diana Ross - Misplaced Pages Continue
5696-551: Is hip." Despite losing Holland–Dozier–Holland, Norman Whitfield, and some of its other hitmakers by 1975, Motown still had a number of successful artists during the 1970s and 1980s, including Lionel Richie and the Commodores , Rick James , Teena Marie , the Dazz Band , Jose Feliciano and DeBarge . By the mid-1980s, Motown had started losing money, and Berry Gordy sold his ownership in Motown to MCA Records (which began
5874-778: Is now simply referred to as "The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". The most recent songs on the list are Gnarls Barkley 's " Crazy " and My Chemical Romance 's " Welcome to the Black Parade ", both released in 2006. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are the most represented on the 660-song list, with eight songs each. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebrated its 25th anniversary with a concert series over two days on October 29 and 30, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The celebration included performances by Jerry Lee Lewis , U2 , Patti Smith , Bruce Springsteen and
6052-406: Is part of a permanent exhibit at the museum, and was envisioned as part of the museum from its opening in 1995. It contains songs recorded from the 1920s through the 1990s. The oldest song on the list is " Wabash Cannonball " (in particular Roy Acuff 's 1936 version), written c. 1882 and credited to J. A. Roff. Since then, however, an additional 160 songs have been added, and the list
6230-573: The Billboard Hot 100 . Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967 , and the loss of key songwriting/production team Holland–Dozier–Holland that year over royalty disputes, Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles, California and it expanded into film and television production. It was an independent company until MCA Records bought it in 1988. PolyGram purchased the label from MCA in 1993, followed by MCA successor Universal Music Group, which acquired PolyGram in 1999. Motown spent much of
6408-419: The Billboard Hot 100. Ross began negotiations to leave Motown at the end of 1980. After over 20 years with the label, Ross received US$ 250,000 as severance. RCA Records offered Ross a $ 20 million, seven-year recording contract, which gave her complete production control of her albums. Before signing onto the label, Ross allegedly asked Berry Gordy if he could match RCA's offer. Gordy stated that doing so
6586-737: The Capitol Tower . In 2018, Motown was inducted into Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Charles H. Wright Museum . In 2021, Motown separated from the Capitol Music Group to become a standalone label once again. On November 29, 2022, Ethiopia Habtemariam announced that she would be stepping down as chairwoman/CEO of Motown. As of 2023, acts signed to Motown include City Girls , Diddy , Migos , Lil Baby , Lil Yachty , Smino , Vince Staples , YoungBoy Never Broke Again , and several other artists in
6764-646: The Everly Brothers , Buddy Holly , and Jerry Lee Lewis . Robert Johnson , Jimmie Rodgers , and Jimmy Yancey were inducted as Early Influences, John Hammond received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Alan Freed and Sam Phillips were inducted as Non-Performers. A nominating committee composed of rock and roll historians selects names for the "Performers" category (singers, vocal groups, bands, and instrumentalists of all kinds), which are then voted on by roughly 500 experts across
6942-791: The HBO special, Standing Room Only , filmed at Caesars Palace 's Circus Maximus Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, during her "Tour '79" concert tour. This concert special is noted for its opening, during which Ross literally makes her entrance through a movie screen. In November of that year, Ross performed The Boss album's title track as a featured artist during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade , in New York City . In 1980, Ross released her most successful album to date, Diana . Composed by Chic 's guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards ,
7120-620: The Joffrey Ballet . In early 1982, Ross sang " The Star-Spangled Banner " at Super Bowl XVI and appeared on the musical variety show Soul Train . The episode, devoted completely to her, featured Ross performing several songs from Why Do Fools Fall in Love . On May 6, 1982, Ross was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She followed up the success of Why Do Fools Fall in Love with Silk Electric , which featured
7298-588: The Rolling Stones . Designed by I. M. Pei and structurally engineered by Leslie E. Robertson Associates, the building rises above the shores of Lake Erie . It is a combination of geometric forms and cantilevered spaces that are anchored by a 162-foot tower. The tower supports a dual-triangular-shaped glass "tent" that extends (at its base) onto a 65,000-square-foot plaza that provides a main entry facade. The building houses more than 55,000 square feet of exhibition space, as well as administrative offices,
Diana Ross - Misplaced Pages Continue
7476-729: The Super Bowl XXX halftime show , held at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona . Earlier that month, Ross's Tokyo concert, Diana Ross: Live in Japan , filmed live at the city's Nippon Budokan Stadium, was released. In May 1996, Ross received the World Music Awards ' Lifelong Contribution to the Music Industry Award. On November 29, EMI released the compilation album, Voice of Love , featuring
7654-542: The Universal Music Group . Founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of motor and town , has become a nickname for Detroit , where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played a vital role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American -owned label that achieved crossover success with white audiences. In
7832-722: The Victoria Palace Theatre , London. This marked her second appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, the first being in 1968 with the Supremes. The Force Behind the Power sparked a comeback when the album went platinum in the UK. led by the No. 2 UK hit single " When You Tell Me That You Love Me ". The album produced 9 singles across international territories, including another Top 10 UK hit "One Shining Moment". In 1993, Ross returned to acting with
8010-562: The hip hop and R&B genres. Berry Gordy 's interest in the record business began when he opened a record store called the 3D Record Mart, a shop where he hoped to "educate customers about the beauty of jazz", in Detroit , Michigan . Although the shop did not last very long, Gordy's interest in the music business did not fade. He frequented Detroit's downtown nightclubs, and in the Flame Show Bar he met bar manager Al Green (not
8188-466: The soul singer of the same name ), who owned a music publishing company called Pearl Music and represented Detroit-based musician Jackie Wilson . Gordy soon became part of a group of songwriters—with his sister Gwen Gordy and Billy Davis —who wrote songs for Wilson. In November 1957, " Reet Petite " was released and became their first major hit. During the next eighteen months, Gordy helped to write six more Wilson A-sides, including " Lonely Teardrops ",
8366-424: The " KISS principle " (keep it simple, stupid). The Motown production process has been described as factory-like. The Hitsville studios remained open and active 22 hours a day, and artists would often go on tour for weeks, come back to Detroit to record as many songs as possible, and then promptly go on tour again. Berry Gordy held quality control meetings every Friday morning, and used veto power to ensure that only
8544-575: The "Eaten Alive" romantic storyline with Ross and actor Joseph Gian . Earlier in 1985, Ross appeared as part of USA for Africa's " We Are the World " charity single, which sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Ross's 1987 follow-up to Eaten Alive , Red Hot Rhythm & Blues found less success; it reached No. 39 on the Billboard Top R&;B Albums chart and No. 12 in Sweden. However,
8722-502: The 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla-Motown , the brand used outside the US) were the most prominent exponents of what became known as the Motown sound , a style of soul music with a mainstream pop -influenced sound and appeal. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $ 61 million. Between 1960 and 1969, Motown had 79 songs reach the top-ten of
8900-418: The 1960s, became its president in 1973. John McClain, an A&M Records executive, opined that Motown leaving its birth city marked a decline in the label's quality. "Something happened when [Motown] left Detroit and came to [Los Angeles]," he said. "They quit being innovators and started following trends. Before, Berry had a much more hands-on approach. And maybe you lose some of your desire after you get to
9078-420: The 1970s. One of the most common criticisms of the hall of fame is that the nomination process is controlled by a small number of individuals who are not themselves musicians, such as founders Jann Wenner and Suzan Evans, and writer Dave Marsh , reflecting their personal tastes rather than public opinion as a whole. A former member of the nominations board once commented that "At one point Suzan Evans lamented
SECTION 50
#17327829475099256-457: The 2000s headquartered in New York City as a part of the UMG subsidiaries Universal Motown and Universal Motown Republic Group . From 2011 to 2014, it was a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group division of Universal Music. In 2014, however, UMG announced the dissolution of Island Def Jam, and Motown relocated back to Los Angeles to operate under the Capitol Music Group , now operating out of
9434-407: The Annex also had a distinct New York area focus that made plenty of space for big items like the phone booth from CBGB , layered thick with band stickers over the decades; Bruce Springsteen's own 1957 Chevrolet ; a special gallery reserved for the city's musicians; and an intricate 26-foot (7.9 m) scale model of Manhattan highlighting sites of rock history. Jann Wenner served as chairman of
9612-590: The Blues (1972), which was a loosely based biography on singer Billie Holiday . Despite some criticism of her for taking the role, once the film opened in October 1972, Ross won critical acclaim for her performance in the film. Jazz critic Leonard Feather , a friend of Holiday's, praised Ross for "expertly capturing the essence of Lady Day". Ross's role in the film won her Golden Globe Award and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. The soundtrack to Lady Sings
9790-464: The Blues became just as successful, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 , staying there for two weeks, and selling two million units. In November 1972, Ross sung the song "When We Grow Up" for the children's album, Free to Be... You and Me . In 1973, Ross had her second number-one hit in the U.S. with the ballad " Touch Me in the Morning ". Later in the year, Motown issued Diana & Marvin ,
9968-752: The Clash ( Revolution Rock: The Story of the Clash ), the Doors ( Break on Through: The Lasting Legacy of the Doors ), the Who 's Tommy ( Tommy: The Amazing Journey ), and Bruce Springsteen ( From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen ). Another thematic temporary exhibit focused on the role of women in rock and roll ( Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power ). Many of these exhibits travel to other museums after closing in Cleveland. A major temporary exhibit in 2017 told
10146-474: The E Street Band , Simon & Garfunkel , Dion DiMucci , Metallica , James Taylor , Bonnie Raitt , Fergie , Mick Jagger , Lou Reed , Ray Davies , Ozzy Osbourne , Paul Simon , Jeff Beck , Buddy Guy , Aretha Franklin , Stevie Wonder , Sting , Little Anthony & the Imperials , and Crosby, Stills and Nash . The first night ran almost six hours with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band closing
10324-696: The Fifties, Sun Records , hip hop music , Cleveland's rock and roll legacy, the music of the Midwest, rock and roll radio and dee-jays, and the many protests against rock and roll. This gallery also has exhibits that focus on individual artists, including the Beatles , the Rolling Stones , Jimi Hendrix and others. Finally, the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall includes a theatre that features films on various subjects such as American Bandstand . The first floor of
10502-625: The Foster Theater, a state-of-the-art 3-D theater that is used for special events and programs. Finally, the top two levels of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame feature large, temporary exhibits. Over the years, numerous exhibits have been installed on these two levels, including exhibits about Elvis Presley , hip-hop , the Supremes , the Who , U2 , John Lennon , the Clash , the Grateful Dead , Bruce Springsteen, Women Who Rock , and
10680-688: The Hall of Fame inductees, the museum documents the entire history of rock and roll, regardless of induction status. Hall of Fame inductees are honored in a special exhibit located in a wing that juts out over Lake Erie. The exhibit space and inaugural exhibits were designed by Bruce Burdick 's San Francisco design firm The Burdick Group. Since 1986, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has selected new inductees. The formal induction ceremony has been held in New York City 28 times (1986–92, 1994–96, 1998–2008, 2010–11, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2023); three times in Los Angeles (1993, 2013 and 2022); and six times in
10858-439: The Hall of Fame still had no home. The search committee considered several cities, including Philadelphia (home of rock pioneer Bill Haley and American Bandstand ), Memphis (home of Sun Studios and Stax Records ), Detroit (home of Motown Records ), Cincinnati (home of King Records ), New York City, and Cleveland. Cleveland lobbied for the museum, with civic leaders in Cleveland pledging $ 65 million in public money to fund
SECTION 60
#173278294750911036-450: The Hall of Fame's permanent home. Architect I. M. Pei designed the new museum, and it was dedicated on September 1, 1995. The RRHOF Foundation was established in 1983 by Ahmet Ertegun, who assembled a team that included publisher of Rolling Stone magazine Jann S. Wenner , record executives Seymour Stein , Bob Krasnow , and Noreen Woods, and attorneys Allen Grubman and Suzan Evans. The Foundation began inducting artists in 1986, but
11214-469: The Heartbreakers , Marty Stuart , Paul Simon , Graham Nash , John Mellencamp , and Geddy Lee 's basses. The museum also devotes exhibits to photography and artwork related to rock and roll. Among the photographers whose work has been featured at the Hall of Fame are George Kalinsky , Alfred Wertheimer, Tommy Edwards, Kevin Mazur, Janet Macoska, Lynn Goldsmith , Linda McCartney , Mike McCartney , Robert Alford, and George Shuba. The museum also featured
11392-505: The Hollywood studios' reluctance to produce the all-black film projects which had become popular during the blaxploitation era of the early to mid-1970s for several years. In 1979, Ross released The Boss , continuing her popularity with dance audiences, as the title song became a number-one dance single. On July 16, 1979, Ross guest-hosted an episode of Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show , featuring Lynda Carter , George Carlin , and Muhammad Ali as guests. Later that year, Ross hosted
11570-436: The Jackson 5 into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on May 6. On February 19, 1998, Ross hosted the Motown 40 telecast on ABC. In 1999, Ross was named the most successful female singer in the history of the United Kingdom charts, based upon a tally of her career hits. Madonna would soon succeed Ross as the most successful female artist in the UK. Later that year, Ross presented at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards in September of
11748-600: The Legends Series. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's most acclaimed program is the annual American Music Masters series. Each year the museum celebrates one of the Hall's inductees with a week-long series of programs that include interviews, film screenings, and, often, a special exhibit. The celebration ends with an all-star concert held at a Cleveland theater. The concerts include a diverse mix of artists, from Hall of Fame inductees to contemporary musicians. The American Music Masters series began in 1996 with Hard Travelin': The Life and Legacy of Pete Seeger . Since then,
11926-436: The Marvelettes scored Tamla's first US number-one hit, " Please Mr. Postman ". By the mid-1960s, the company, with the help of songwriters and producers such as Robinson, A&R chief William "Mickey" Stevenson , Brian Holland , Lamont Dozier , and Norman Whitfield , had become a major force in the music industry. From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 top 10 hits. Top artists on the Motown label during that period included
12104-443: The Marvelettes was one of four) and then Oriole American (" Fingertips " by Little Stevie Wonder was one of many). In 1963, Motown signed with EMI's Stateside label (" Where Did Our Love Go " by the Supremes and " My Guy " by Mary Wells were Motown's first British top-20 hits). Eventually, EMI created the Tamla Motown label (" Stop! In the Name of Love " by the Supremes was the first Tamla Motown release in March 1965). After
12282-452: The Metro Campus of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland's Campus District . The library and archives' mission is to collect, preserve and provide access to these materials. The library and archives operates on two levels: people may come into the library and read books and magazines, listen to music and other recordings, and watch videos and films. More serious scholars, historians and journalists may also make an appointment for access to
12460-502: The Michael Jackson-written and -produced " Muscles ", resulting in another Top 10 Grammy nominated success for Ross. The album eventually went gold on the strength of that song. In 1983, Ross ventured further out of her earlier soul-based sound for a more pop rock -oriented sound following the release of the Ross album. Though the album featured the Top 40 hit single, " Pieces of Ice ", the Ross album did not generate any more hits or achieve gold status. On July 21, 1983, Ross performed
12638-414: The Morning (1973), Mahogany (1975), Diana Ross (1976), and Diana (1980), as well as their U.S. number-one pop singles – " Touch Me in the Morning ", " Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) ", " Love Hangover ", and " Upside Down ", respectively. " Endless Love ", a 1981 duet with Lionel Richie , made her the female solo act with the most number-one songs in the United States at
12816-787: The Motown musicians was a major influence on several non-Motown artists of the mid-1960s, such as Dusty Springfield and the Foundations . In the United Kingdom, the Motown sound became the basis of the northern soul movement. Smokey Robinson said the Motown sound had little to do with Detroit: 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
12994-617: The Motown sound typically featured 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 . In 1971, Jon Landau wrote in Rolling Stone that the sound consisted of songs with simple structures but sophisticated melodies, along with a four-beat drum pattern, regular use of horns and strings, and "a trebly style of mixing that relied heavily on electronic limiting and equalizing (boosting
13172-534: The Museum's Foster Theater. The interviews are usually followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience and, often, a performance by the inductee. Among the inductees who have taken part in this series are Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-D.M.C ., Lloyd Price , Martha Reeves , Marky Ramone , Seymour Stein , Ray Manzarek of the Doors , Mary Wilson of the Supremes , Ronnie Spector , Bootsy Collins , Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart , Dennis Edwards of
13350-734: The Name of Love ", " You Keep Me Hangin' On ", and " Love Child ". Following her departure from the Supremes in 1970, Ross embarked on a successful solo music career with the release of her eponymous debut solo album and its singles, " Ain't No Mountain High Enough " – her first solo U.S. number-one hit – and " Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) ". Her second solo album, Everything Is Everything (1970), spawned her first UK number-one single, " I'm Still Waiting ". Ross continued her successful solo career by mounting elaborate record-setting worldwide concert tours, starring in highly watched primetime TV specials, and releasing hit albums, such as Touch Me in
13528-703: The Sickest Kids , The Veer Union and Four Year Strong . Motown celebrated its 50th anniversary on January 12, 2009, and celebrated it in Detroit on November 20, 2009, in a black-tie Gala titled "Live It Again!" The event was hosted by Sinbad and included Stevie Wonder , Smokey Robinson , the Temptations , Aretha Franklin and Kid Rock . In mid-2011, Universal Motown reverted to the Motown brand after having been separated from Universal Motown Republic Group, hired Ethiopia Habtemariam as its Senior Vice President, and operated under The Island Def Jam Music Group . Artists from Universal Motown were transferred to
13706-722: The Supremes (initially including Diana Ross ), the Four Tops , and the Jackson 5 , while Stevie Wonder , Marvin Gaye , the Marvelettes , and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label. The company operated several labels in addition to the Tamla and Motown imprints. A third label, which Gordy named after himself (though it was originally called "Miracle") featured the Temptations , the Contours , Edwin Starr , and Martha and
13884-610: The Supremes and the Temptations, Diana! with Diana Ross, and Goin' Back to Indiana with the Jackson 5 . The company loosened its production rules, allowing some of its longtime artists the opportunity to write and produce more of their own material. This resulted in the recordings of successful and critically acclaimed albums such as Marvin Gaye 's What's Going On (1971) and Let's Get it On (1973), and Stevie Wonder 's Music of My Mind (1972), Talking Book (1972), and Innervisions (1973). Motown had established branch offices in both New York City and Los Angeles during
14062-601: The Temptations , and Jorma Kaukonen of the Jefferson Airplane . A similar program is the Legends Series. The only real difference between this program and the Hall of Fame Series is that it features artists who have not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Peter Hook of Joy Division , Spinderella of Salt n Pepa , Tommy James , and the Chi-Lites are among the artists who have participated in
14240-460: The U.S. Other temporary exhibits have included Lennon: His Life and Work , which ran from October 20, 2000, to January 1, 2003. It was followed by In the Name of Love: Two Decades of U2 and then Reflections: The Mary Wilson Supreme Legacy Collection . A major exhibition titled Louder than Words: Rock, Power, Politics was on display during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Other large temporary exhibits have focused on
14418-441: The U.S. with " Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) ". A year later, in 1976, Ross released her fourth solo number-one hit, " Love Hangover ", a sensual, dramatic mid-tempo song that bursts into an uptempo disco tune. Later that year, Ross launched her "An Evening with Diana Ross" tour. The tour's success led to a two-week stint at Broadway 's Palace Theatre and a 90-minute, Emmy -nominated television special of
14596-570: The UK, a period of 33 consecutive years and a record for any performer. In 1988, Ross was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes, and is one of the rare performers to have two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She was the recipient of a Special Tony Award in 1977, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and 2023 (becoming
14774-492: The UK. Subsequent releases, The Force Behind the Power (1991), Take Me Higher (1995), and Every Day Is a New Day (1999) all failed to achieve major success in America, selling around 100,000 copies each. In 1991, Ross became one of the few American artists to have headlined the annual Royal Variety Performance , performing a selection of her UK hits before Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at
14952-490: The United States and abroad. Before the release of Why Do Fools Fall in Love , Ross hosted her first TV special in four years, Diana . Directed by Steve Binder , the concert portions of the special were filmed at Inglewood, California 's 17,500-seat The Forum indoor stadium and featured performances by Michael Jackson , Muhammad Ali , Dallas actor Larry Hagman , music impresario Quincy Jones and members of
15130-944: The Vandellas . A fourth, V.I.P. , released recordings by the Velvelettes , the Spinners , the Monitors , and Chris Clark . A fifth label, Soul , featured Jr. Walker & the All Stars , Jimmy Ruffin , Shorty Long , the Originals , and Gladys Knight & the Pips (who had found success before joining Motown, as "The Pips" on Vee-Jay ). Many more Motown-owned labels released recordings in other genres, including Workshop Jazz (jazz) Earl Washington Reflections and Earl Washington's All Stars, Mel-o-dy (country, although it
15308-403: The album included the hits " I'm Coming Out " and " Upside Down ", the latter becoming her fifth chart-topping single in the U.S. Ross scored a Top 10 hit in late 1980 with the theme song to the film It's My Turn . Continuing her connections with Hollywood, Ross recorded the duet ballad " Endless Love ", with Lionel Richie . The song would become her sixth and final single to reach number one on
15486-631: The album's accompanying television special was nominated for three Emmy Awards and won two: Outstanding Costume Design for a Variety or Music Program ( Ray Aghayan and Ret Turner ) and Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Miniseries or a Special (Greg Brunton). On January 27, 1986, Ross hosted the 13th annual American Music Awards . Ross returned the next year to host the 14th annual telecast . In 1988, Ross chose to not renew her RCA contract and had been in talks with her former mentor Berry Gordy to return to Motown. When she learned of Gordy's plans to sell Motown, Ross tried advising him against
15664-801: The archival collections under the supervision of the staff archivists. The library is composed of books, academic dissertations, and other references. It also includes popular magazines, scholarly journals and trade publications; commercial audio and video recordings, and research databases. The archival collections include music-business records from record executives, artist managers, labels, historic venues, recording studios, specialists in stage design and lighting, and long-running concert tours. The collections also contain important individual items, such as personal letters penned by Aretha Franklin and Madonna , handwritten working lyrics by Jimi Hendrix and LL Cool J , papers from music journalists such as Sue Cassidy Clark , and rare concert recordings from CBGB in
15842-427: The artwork of Philip Burke in one of its temporary exhibits, and a later exhibit featured Herb Ritts. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum produces numerous public programs, including concerts, interviews, lectures, film screenings, and other events that help tell the story of rock and roll. Every February, the museum celebrates Black History Month by hosting concerts, film screenings and lectures that illustrate
16020-461: The board of the Annex. At its opening night gala, he inadvertently created a controversy after he told a reporter, "One of the small sad things is we didn't do it in New York in the first place." He later expressed regret for his remark which he said had been misconstrued and clarified that "I am absolutely delighted that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is in Cleveland." The Annex closed on January 3, 2010, its quick demise reportedly due to
16198-522: The ceremonies, and they are usually presented with their Hall of Fame award by an artist who was influenced by that inductee's music. Both the presenter and the inductee speak at the ceremonies, which also include numerous musical performances, by both the inductees and the presenters. As of February 2021 , there were 338 inductees. The first group of inductees, inducted on January 23, 1986, included Elvis Presley , James Brown , Little Richard , Fats Domino , Ray Charles , Chuck Berry , Sam Cooke ,
16376-509: The choices being made because there weren't enough big names that would sell tickets to the dinner. That was quickly remedied by dropping one of the doo-wop groups being considered in favor of a 'name' artist ... I saw how certain pioneering artists of the '50s and early '60s were shunned because there needed to be more name power on the list, resulting in '70s superstars getting in before the people who made it possible for them. Some of those pioneers still aren't in today." Sister Rosetta Tharpe
16554-418: The company (and later named his daughter "Tamla" and his son "Berry"). Several of Gordy's family members , including his father Berry Sr., brothers Robert and George, and sister Esther, were given key roles in the company. By the middle of the decade, Gwen and Anna Gordy had joined the label in administrative positions as well. Gordy's partner at the time (and wife from 1960 to 1964), Raynoma Liles , also played
16732-412: The company, beginning with Berry Gordy's immediate successor, Jheryl Busby . Busby quarreled with MCA, alleging that the company did not give Motown's product adequate attention or promotion. In 1991, Motown sued MCA to have its distribution deal with the company terminated, and began releasing its product through PolyGram . PolyGram purchased Motown from Boston Ventures three years later. In 1994, Busby
16910-677: The concert series' format was retooled and the event was renamed the Rock Hall Honors, in which the honored performer is joined in concert by guests of their choice. The first Rock Hall Honors concert, featuring Mavis Staples , was performed in Cleveland in September 2019. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won the 2020 Webby People's Voice Award for Cultural Institution in the category Web. Hall of Fame museum curator James Henke, along with "the museum's curatorial staff and numerous rock critics and music experts", created an unordered list of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". The list
17088-490: The concert with special guests John Fogerty , Darlene Love , Tom Morello , Sam Moore , Jackson Browne , Peter Wolf , and Billy Joel . Artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at an annual induction ceremony. Over the years, the majority of the ceremonies have been held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. However, on January 12, 1993, the ceremony was held in Los Angeles and
17266-419: The construction, and citing that WJW disc jockey Alan Freed both coined the term " rock and roll " and heavily promoted the new genre, and that Cleveland was the location of Freed's Moondog Coronation Ball , often credited as the first major rock and roll concert. Freed was also a member of the hall of fame's inaugural class of inductees in 1986. In addition, Cleveland cited radio station WMMS , which played
17444-457: The death of the Hall of Fame's co-founder Ahmet Ertegun , this award was renamed in his honor in 2008. Formerly the "Sidemen" award, this category was introduced in 2000 and honors veteran session and concert players who are selected by a committee composed primarily of producers. The category was dormant from 2004 through 2007 and re-activated in 2008. This honor was renamed the "Award for Musical Excellence" in 2010. According to Joel Peresman,
17622-451: The decision, though he ended up selling it to MCA Records in June of that year. Following the sale of the company, Ross was asked to return to the Motown label with the condition that she have shares in the company as a part-owner; Ross accepted the offer. That same year, Ross was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes alongside her former singing partners Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. She also recorded
17800-483: The evolution of audio technology. Visitors enter the Hall of Fame section of the museum on the third floor. This section includes "The Power of Rock Experience", which includes one of Jonathan Demme 's final works, a film shown in the Connor Theater. The film includes musical highlights from some of the Hall's induction ceremonies. Visitors exit the Hall of Fame section on the fourth floor. That level features
17978-454: The film Lady Sings the Blues (1972), becoming the first African-American actress to receive an Academy Award nomination for a debut film performance; she also recorded its soundtrack , which became her only solo album to reach number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. She also starred in two other feature films, Mahogany (1975) and The Wiz (1978), and later appeared in the television films Out of Darkness (1994), for which she
18156-488: The first woman to win the award twice, the latter as a member of the Supremes), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Diana Ross was born in Detroit on March 26, 1944. She was the second of six children born to Ernestine (née Moten; January 27, 1916 – October 9, 1984) and Fred Ross Sr. (July 4, 1920 – November 21, 2007). Her mother named her Diane, but the birth certificate
18334-460: The funds required to attend these), and participated in several of the school's extracurricular activities, including its swim team. In 1960, Hudson's downtown Detroit store hired Ross as its first African American bus girl . For extra income, she also provided hairdressing services to her neighbors. Ross graduated from Cass Tech in January 1962. When she was fifteen, Ross joined the Primettes,
18512-485: The funeral service of Florence Ballard , who had died in February of that year. In March 1983, Ross agreed to reunite with Wilson and Cindy Birdsong for the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever . The Supremes did not rehearse their performance for that evening, due to time constraints. A scheduled medley of hits was cancelled. Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by
18690-401: The global financial crisis of 2007–2008 and a subsequent downturn in the city's tourism. The museum's final major exhibition was about John Lennon and his years in New York City. Since 1997, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has featured numerous temporary exhibits that range in size from major exhibits that fill the top two floors of the museum to smaller exhibits that are often installed in
18868-474: The group and asked them to perform it again, but, after learning how young they were, Gordy advised them to finish high school before trying to get signed by Motown. Undeterred, the group began coming to Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters every day, offering to provide extra help for Motown's recordings, often including hand claps and background vocals. That year, the group recorded two tracks for Lu Pine Records , with Ross singing lead on one of them. During
19046-464: The group by the end of that year, and Ross began recording her initial solo work that July. One of the first plans for Ross to establish her own solo career was to publicly introduce a new Motown recording act. Though she did not claim their discovery, Motown's publicity department credited Ross with having discovered the Jackson 5 . Ross would introduce the group during several public events, including The Hollywood Palace . In November, Ross confirmed
19224-409: The group's early years, Ross served as its hairstylist, make-up artist, seamstress, and costume designer. In late 1960, having replaced McGlown with Barbara Martin , the Primettes were allowed to record their own songs at Hitsville studio, many written by "Smokey" Robinson, who, by then, was vice president of Motown (" Your Heart Belongs to Me " and " A Breathtaking Guy "). Gordy, too, composed songs for
19402-467: The group's song "Got a Job" (an answer song to " Get a Job " by the Silhouettes ), and released it as a single by leasing the record to a larger company outside Detroit called End Records , based in New York. The practice was common at the time for a small-time producer. "Got a Job" was the first single by Robinson's group, now called the Miracles . Gordy recorded a number of other records by forging
19580-521: The group, reducing the quartet to a trio. In late 1963, the group had their first hit with " When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes ", peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. At the end of the year, Gordy made Ross the group's lead singer. In June 1964, while on tour with Dick Clark 's Cavalcade of Stars, the group scored their first number-one hit with " Where Did Our Love Go ", paving
19758-612: The hall of fame's home in Cleveland (1997, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021). As of 2018, the induction ceremonies alternate each year between New York and Cleveland. The 2009 and 2012 induction weeks were made possible by a public–private partnership between the City of Cleveland, the State of Ohio , the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and local foundations, corporations, civic organizations and individuals. Collectively these entities invested $ 5.8 million in 2009 and $ 7.9 million in 2012 to produce
19936-400: The high range frequencies) to give the overall product a distinctive sound, particularly effective for broadcast over AM radio". Pop production techniques such as the use of orchestral string sections, charted horn sections, and carefully arranged background vocals were also used. Complex arrangements and elaborate, melismatic vocal riffs were avoided. Motown producers believed steadfastly in
20114-476: The idea of a tower with a glass pyramid protruding from it. Pei initially planned the tower to be 200 feet (61 m) high, but was forced to reduce it to 162 feet (49 m) due to the structure's proximity to Burke Lakefront Airport . The building's base is approximately 150,000 square feet (14,000 m ). The groundbreaking ceremony for the building took place on June 7, 1993, with Pete Townshend , Chuck Berry , and Billy Joel in attendance. The museum
20292-461: The impact because acts were going all over the world at that time. I recognized the bridges that we crossed, the racial problems and the barriers that we broke down with music. I recognized that because I lived it. I would come to the South in the early days of Motown and the audiences would be segregated. Then they started to get the Motown music and we would go back and the audiences were integrated and
20470-583: The important role African-Americans have played in the history of rock and roll. Since the program began in 1996, such artists as Robert Lockwood, Jr. , the Temptations , Charles Brown , Ruth Brown , the Ohio Players , Lloyd Price , Little Anthony and the Imperials , and Al Green have appeared at the museum during Black History Month. Another program is the Hall of Fame Series. This series began in April 1996 and features interviews with Hall of Fame inductees in rare and intimate settings, most often in
20648-553: The kids were dancing together and holding hands. In 1967, Berry Gordy purchased what is now known as Motown Mansion in Detroit's Boston-Edison Historic District as his home, leaving his previous home to his sister Anna and her then-husband Marvin Gaye (where photos for the cover of his album What's Going On were taken). In 1968, Gordy purchased the Donovan building on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Interstate 75 , and moved Motown's Detroit offices there (the Donovan building
20826-623: The label in 1999). The Temptations left for Atlantic Records in 1977, but returned in 1980 and eventually left again in 2004. Wonder finally left the label in 2020. In 2005, Massenburg was replaced by Sylvia Rhone , former CEO of Elektra Records . Motown was merged with Universal Records to create the Universal Motown Records and placed under the newly created umbrella division of Universal Motown Republic Group . Notable artists on Universal Motown included Drake Bell , Ryan Leslie , Melanie Fiona , Kelly Rowland , Forever
21004-481: The latter becoming Ross's first number-one solo single . Follow-up albums, Everything Is Everything (1970) and Surrender (1971) came out shortly afterwards. In 1971, the ballad " I'm Still Waiting " became her first number-one single in the UK . Later in 1971, Ross starred in her first solo television special , Diana! , which included the Jackson 5 . In 1971, Diana Ross began working on her first film, Lady Sings
21182-576: The less-than-dignified image commonly held of black musicians by white Americans in that era. Given that many of the talented young artists had been raised in housing projects and lacked the necessary social and dress experience, this Motown department was not only necessary, it created an elegant style of presentation long associated with the label. The artist development department specialized primarily in working with younger, less-experienced acts; experienced performers such as Jr. Walker and Marvin Gaye were exempt from artist-development classes. Many of
21360-426: The main exhibition hall on the lower level. The museum's first major exhibit opened on May 10, 1997. It was called I Want to Take You Higher: The Psychedelic Era, 1965–1969 . It included memorabilia from numerous artists including John Lennon , Eric Clapton , John Sebastian , Jefferson Airplane , and Janis Joplin , as well as items related to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and 1969's Woodstock . That exhibit
21538-589: The major subsidiaries, and artists were often shuffled between labels for internal marketing reasons. All of these records are usually considered to be "Motown" records, regardless of whether they actually appeared on the Motown Records label itself. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ( RRHOF ), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall , is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland , Ohio , United States, on
21716-498: The mid-1960s, and by 1969 had begun gradually moving more of its operations to Los Angeles. The company moved all of its operations to Los Angeles in June 1972, with a number of artists, among them Martha Reeves , the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many of the Funk Brothers studio band, either staying behind in Detroit or leaving the company for other reasons. By re-locating, Motown aimed chiefly to branch out into
21894-690: The most votes being inducted, subject to a minimum of 50% approval. Around five to seven performers are inducted each year. In 2012, six additional groups, the Miracles , the Famous Flames , the Comets , the Blue Caps , the Midnighters , and the Crickets , were inducted as performers by a special committee due to the controversial exclusions when their lead singer was inducted. "There was
22072-483: The motion-picture industry, and Motown Productions got its start in film by turning out two hit-vehicles for Diana Ross : the Billie Holiday biographical film Lady Sings the Blues (1972), and Mahogany (1975). Other Motown films would include Scott Joplin (1977), Thank God It's Friday (1978), The Wiz (1978) and The Last Dragon (1985). Ewart Abner , who had been associated with Motown since
22250-472: The museum curated Roots, Rhymes and Rage: The Hip-Hop Story . That was the first major museum exhibit to focus on hip-hop. It ran from November 11, 1999, to August 6, 2000. It was followed by Rock Style , an exhibit that focused on rock and roll and fashion. It featured clothing from Buddy Holly to Alice Cooper , from Ray Charles to David Bowie and from Smokey Robinson to Sly Stone . After it closed in Cleveland, Rock Style traveled to other museums in
22428-515: The museum is the entrance level. It includes a café, a stage that the museum uses for various special performances and events throughout the year, and a section called "Backstage Stories". The second floor includes several interactive kiosks that feature programs on one-hit wonders and the Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. This level also includes a gallery with artifact-filled exhibits about Les Paul , Alan Freed, Sam Phillips and
22606-537: The name Diana from the mistake on her birth certificate, surprising Ballard and Wilson who had only known her as Diane. Following difficulties with comportment, weight, and alcoholism, Florence Ballard was fired from the Supremes by Gordy in July 1967, hiring Cindy Birdsong from Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles as Ballard's replacement. Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes , making it easier to charge
22784-533: The newly revitalized Motown label. On January 25, 2012, it was announced that Ne-Yo would join the Motown label both as an artist as well as the new Senior Vice President of A&R. On April 1, 2014, it was announced that Island Def Jam would no longer be running following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss. A press release sent out by Universal Music Group announced that the label would now be reorganizing Def Jam Recordings, Island Records and Motown Records all as separate entities. Motown would then begin serving as
22962-446: The next 30-plus years. In her autobiography, Secrets of a Sparrow , Ross wrote that she felt that this had been "a fair trade". The Primettes later auditioned for Motown , before various Motown executives. In Berry Gordy 's autobiography, To Be Loved , Gordy recalled that he had been heading to a business meeting when he happened to hear Ross singing " There Goes My Baby ", and that Ross's voice "stopped me in my tracks". He approached
23140-488: The next day. The next day's concert suffered no rain, but the memorabilia that was supposed to be sold to raise money for the playground had already been destroyed by the storm. When journalists discovered the exorbitant costs of the two concerts, Ross faced criticism from Mayor Ed Koch and the Parks Department commissioner. During a subsequent mayoral press conference, Ross handed Koch a check for US$ 250,000 for
23318-526: The only Supremes member to be featured on many of their recordings, often accompanied by session singers the Andantes or, as in the case of "Someday We'll Be Together", Julia and Maxine Waters and Johnny Bristol. Still, Wilson and Birdsong continued to sing on recordings. Gordy drove Ross relentlessly throughout this period and Ross, due to anxiety arising from Gordy's demands, began suffering from anorexia nervosa , according to her autobiography, Secrets of
23496-470: The opening ceremony of the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in Chicago , and during the pre-match entertainment of the 1995 Rugby League World Cup final at Wembley Stadium . The World Cup ceremony had her take a penalty kick that was staged for her to score, and the goalposts were intended to fall down from the power of her shot. She infamously missed the penalty instead. On January 28, 1996, Ross performed at
23674-410: The president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, "This award gives us flexibility to dive into some things and recognize some people who might not ordinarily get recognized." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's Library and Archives is the world's most comprehensive repository of materials related to the history of rock and roll. The library and archives are located in a new building on
23852-507: The programs have honored the following inductees: Jimmie Rodgers (1997), Robert Johnson (1998), Louis Jordan (1999), Muddy Waters (2000), Bessie Smith (2001), Hank Williams (2002), Buddy Holly (2003), Lead Belly (2004), Sam Cooke (2005), Roy Orbison (2006), Jerry Lee Lewis (2007), Les Paul (2008), Janis Joplin (2009), Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew (2010), Aretha Franklin (2011), Chuck Berry (2012), The Everly Brothers (2014) and Johnny Cash (2017). In 2019
24030-464: The project. The Diana Ross Playground was built three years later. In 1984, Ross released Swept Away . The album featured " All of You ", a duet with friend Julio Iglesias . The single was featured on both Ross's album and Iglesias's 1100 Bel Air Place , his first English-language album. It became an international hit, as did the Lionel Richie -penned ballad " Missing You ", composed as
24208-491: The publishing firm Jobete in June 1959 (incorporated in Michigan). He applied for copyrights on more than seventy songs before the end of 1959, including material used for the Miracles and Frances Burnett records, which were leased to Chess and Coral Records . The Michigan Chronicle of Detroit called Gordy an "independent producer of records", as his contributions to the city were beginning to attract notice. By that time, he
24386-544: The region. The 2012 induction week yielded similar results. The building contains seven levels. On the lower level is the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall, the museum's main gallery. It includes exhibits on the roots of rock and roll ( gospel , blues , rhythm & blues and folk , country and bluegrass ). It also features exhibits on cities that have had a major impact on rock and roll: Memphis , Detroit , London , Liverpool , San Francisco , Los Angeles , New York , and Seattle . There are exhibits about soul music ,
24564-530: The release of a modestly successful album, Last Time I Saw Him (1973), Ross's second film, Mahogany , was released in 1975. The film reunited her with Billy Dee Williams , her co-star in Lady Sings the Blues and featured costumes designed by Ross herself. The story of an aspiring fashion designer who becomes a runway model and the toast of the industry, Mahogany was a troubled production from its inception. The film's original director, Tony Richardson ,
24742-543: The same name, featuring special make-up effects by Stan Winston , for a scene in which Ross portrayed legendary cabaret artist Josephine Baker and blues singers Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters , and a Special Tony Award . The albums Baby It's Me (1977) and Ross (1978) sold modestly. In 1977, Motown had acquired the film rights to the Broadway play The Wiz , an African-American reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum 's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . The film initially
24920-405: The shore of Lake Erie . The museum documents the history of rock music and the artists, producers, engineers, and other notable figures and personnel who have influenced its development. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established on April 20, 1983, by Ahmet Ertegun , founder and chairman of Atlantic Records . After a long search for the right city, Cleveland was chosen in 1986 as
25098-689: The singles "In the Ones You Love", "You Are Not Alone" and "I Hear (The Voice of Love)". On February 8, 1997, EMI released the Japanese edition of Ross's album, A Gift of Love , featuring the single, "Promise Me You'll Try". In May, she performed with operatic tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras again at the Superconcert of the Century concert, held in Taipei , Taiwan. She later inducted
25276-631: The sister group to a male vocal group called the Primes, after she had been brought to the attention of music manager Milton Jenkins by Primes member Paul Williams . Among the other members of the Primettes were Florence Ballard (the first group member hired by Jenkins), Mary Wilson , and Betty McGlown , Williams' girlfriend. After the Primettes won a talent competition in 1960 in Windsor, Ontario , A&R executive and songwriter, Robert Bateman invited them to audition for Motown Records. Later, following
25454-811: The songwriting process of the writers and producers, one of the major factors in the widespread appeal of Motown's music was Gordy's practice of using a highly-select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, collectively known as the Funk Brothers , to record the instrumental or "band" tracks of a majority of Motown recordings. Among the studio musicians responsible for the "Motown sound" were keyboardists Earl Van Dyke , Johnny Griffith , and Joe Hunter ; guitarists Ray Monette , Joe Messina , Robert White , and Eddie Willis ; percussionists Eddie "Bongo" Brown and Jack Ashford ; drummers Benny Benjamin , Uriel Jones , and Richard "Pistol" Allen ; and bassists James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt . The band's career and work
25632-423: The songwriting trio Holland–Dozier–Holland left the label in 1967 over royalty-payment disputes, Norman Whitfield became the company's top producer, turning out hits for the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Rare Earth. In the meantime Berry Gordy established Motown Productions, a television subsidiary which produced TV specials for the Motown artists, including TCB , with Diana Ross &
25810-682: The story and impact of Rolling Stone magazine. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also curates many smaller temporary exhibits. Over the years, these exhibits have focused on such topics as the Vans Warped Tour , the Concert for Bangladesh , Woodstock's 40th and 50th anniversaries, Austin City Limits , the Monterey International Pop Festival , Roy Orbison , Motown's 50th anniversary, Tom Petty and
25988-544: The success of her live performances at sock hops and similar events, Ross approached William "Smokey" Robinson, her former neighbor about auditioning for Motown; he insisted that the group audition for him first. Robinson then agreed to bring the Primettes to Motown, on condition that they allow him and his group, the Miracles, to hire the Primettes' guitarist, Marv Tarplin (who had been discovered by Ross) for an upcoming tour. Tarplin ended up playing in Robinson's band(s) for
26166-599: The theme song to animated adventure drama film The Land Before Time (1988). " If We Hold on Together " became an international hit, reaching number one in Japan. Ross's next album, 1989's Workin' Overtime , was not a commercial success, despite the title track reaching the top three of the Billboard ' s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album peaked at No. 34 on the Billboard Hot R&;B Albums chart, and achieved top 25 chart placings in Japan and
26344-449: The time. Her commercial success continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s with global hits, including " I'm Coming Out ", " Why Do Fools Fall in Love ", " All of You ", " Chain Reaction ", " If We Hold on Together ", and " When You Tell Me That You Love Me ". Ross has also achieved mainstream success and recognition as an actress. Her first role was her Golden Globe Award -winning and Academy Award -nominated portrayal of Billie Holiday in
26522-462: The trio, including " Buttered Popcorn " (featuring Ballard on lead) and " Let Me Go the Right Way ". While these songs were regional hits, they were not nationwide successes. In January 1961, Gordy agreed to sign the group on the condition they change their name. Songwriter and Motown secretary Janie Bradford approached Florence Ballard, the only group member at the studio at the time, to pick out
26700-528: The use of overdubbed and duplicated instrumentation. Motown songs regularly featured two drummers instead of one (either overdubbed or in unison), as well as three or four guitar lines. Bassist James Jamerson often played his instrument with only the index finger of his right hand, and created many of the basslines apparent on Motown songs such as " Up the Ladder to the Roof " by the Supremes. Artist development
26878-541: The very best material and performances would be released. The test was that every new release needed to fit into a sequence of the top five selling pop singles of the week. Several tracks that later became critical and commercial favorites were initially rejected by Gordy, the two most notable being the Marvin Gaye songs " I Heard It Through the Grapevine " and " What's Going On ". In several cases, producers would rework tracks in hopes of eventually getting them approved at
27056-436: The vivacity that is Diana Ross' great gift. No matter how she is stylized, no matter what phony truism she mouths, this woman always lets you know she is alive. — Robert Christgau , 1973 The group appeared as a trio of singing nuns in a 1968 episode of the popular NBC TV series Tarzan . Between their early 1968 single " Forever Came Today " and their final single with Ross, " Someday We'll Be Together ", Ross would be
27234-534: The way for unprecedented success. Between August 1964 and May 1967, Ross, Wilson, and Ballard sang on ten number-one hit singles , all of which also made the UK Top 40. The group had become a hit with audiences domestically and abroad, going on to be Motown's most successful vocal act throughout the sixties. Ross began to dominate interviews with the media, answering questions aimed at Ballard or Wilson. She pushed for more pay than her colleagues. In 1965, she began using
27412-452: The working-class Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects , settling at St. Antoine Street. Ross attended Cass Technical High School , a four-year college and preparatory magnet school , in downtown Detroit , and, aspiring to become a fashion designer, she took classes in clothing design, millinery, pattern making, and tailoring. In the evenings and on weekends she also took modeling and cosmetology classes (Ross has written that Robinson loaned her
27590-404: The world. Those selected to vote include academics, journalists, producers, and others with music industry experience. Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll. Block approval voting is used, with those nominees who receive
27768-535: The year and shocked the audience by touching rapper Lil' Kim 's exposed breast and pasty-covered nipple, amazed at the young rapper's brashness. In 1999, she and Brandy Norwood co-starred in the television movie, Double Platinum , which was aired prior to the release of Ross's album, Every Day Is a New Day . From that album, Ross scored a Top 10 hit in the UK in November that year with " Not Over You Yet ". Ross reunited with Mary Wilson first in 1976 to attend
27946-445: The young artists participated in an annual package tour called the " Motortown Revue ", which was popular, first, on the " Chitlin' Circuit ", and, later, around the world. The tours gave the younger artists a chance to hone their performance and social skills and learn from the more experienced artists. In order to avoid accusations of payola should DJs play too many records from the original Tamla label, Gordy formed Motown Records as
28124-521: Was Smokey Robinson . When Ross was seven, her mother contracted tuberculosis , causing her to become seriously ill. Ross's parents sent their children to live with Ernestine's parents, the Reverend (pastor of Bessemer Baptist Church) and Mrs. William Moton in Bessemer, Alabama . After her mother recovered, she and her siblings returned to Detroit. On her 14th birthday, in 1958, her family relocated to
28302-539: Was "impossible". Ross then signed with RCA on May 20, 1981. At the time, Ross's was music history's most expensive recording deal. In October 1981, Ross released her first RCA album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love . The album sold over a million copies and featured hit singles such as her remake of the classic hit of the same name and " Mirror Mirror ". Shortly thereafter, Ross established her production company, named Anaid Productions ("Diana" spelled backwards), and also began investing in real estate and touring extensively in
28480-577: Was Barrett Strong's " Money (That's What I Want) ", written by Gordy and a secretary named Janie Bradford , and produced by Gordy. Many of the songs distributed locally by Anna and Tamla Records were nationally distributed by Chess Records (sometimes with Anna and Tamla imprints). Gordy's relationship with Chess fostered closer dealings with Harvey Fuqua , nephew of Charlie Fuqua of the Ink Spots . Harvey Fuqua later married Gwen Gordy in 1961. Gordy looked toward creative self-sufficiency and established
28658-425: Was a major part of Motown's operations instituted by Berry Gordy. The acts on the Motown label were fastidiously groomed, dressed and choreographed for live performances. Motown artists were advised that their breakthrough into the white popular music market made them ambassadors for other African-American artists seeking broad market acceptance, and that they should think, act, walk and talk like royalty, so as to alter
28836-424: Was acquired by Seagram , and Motown was absorbed into the Universal Music Group . Seagram had purchased Motown's former parent MCA in 1995, and Motown was in effect reunited with many of its MCA corporate siblings (Seagram had hoped to build a media empire around Universal, and started by purchasing PolyGram). Universal briefly considered shuttering the label, but instead decided to restructure it. Kedar Massenburg ,
29014-462: Was along East Ninth Street in downtown by Lake Erie, east of Cleveland Stadium . At one point in the planning phase, when a financing gap existed, planners proposed locating the Rock Hall in the then-vacant May Company Building but finally decided to commission architect I. M. Pei to design a new building. Initial CEO Larry R. Thompson facilitated I. M. Pei in designs for the site. Pei came up with
29192-429: Was dedicated on September 1, 1995, with the ribbon being cut by an ensemble that included Yoko Ono and Little Richard , before a crowd of more than 10,000 people. The following night an all-star concert was held at Cleveland Stadium. It featured Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan , Al Green , Jerry Lee Lewis , Aretha Franklin , Bruce Springsteen , Iggy Pop , John Fogerty , John Mellencamp , and many others. In addition to
29370-420: Was demolished in January 2006 to provide parking spaces for Super Bowl XL ). In the same year, Gordy purchased Golden World Records , and its recording studio became "Studio B" to Hitsville's "Studio A". In the United Kingdom, Motown's records were released on various labels: at first London (only the Miracles' "Shop Around"/" Who's Lovin' You " and "Ain't It Baby"), then Fontana ("Please Mr. Postman" by
29548-510: Was fired during production, and Berry Gordy assumed the director's chair himself. Gordy and Ross clashed during filming, with Ross leaving the production before shooting was completed, forcing Gordy to use secretary Edna Anderson as a body double for Ross. While a box-office success, the film was not well received by the critics: Time magazine's review of the film chastised Gordy for "squandering one of America's most natural resources: Diana Ross". Nonetheless, Ross had her third number-one hit in
29726-463: Was followed by Elvis is in the Building , which ran from August 8, 1998, to September 5, 1999. This year-long tribute was the first exhibit devoted to a single artist, Elvis Presley—the "King of Rock and Roll" and the first inductee into the RRHOF, in 1986. Graceland supplied a significant selection of representative artifacts for this special tribute spanning Elvis' life and legendary career. Next,
29904-430: Was held there again in 2013. On May 6, 1997, about a year and a half after the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the ceremony was held in Cleveland. It returned to Cleveland in 2009 and again in 2012. Current plans call for the ceremony to be in Cleveland every three years. Generally, the number of inductees each year ranges from about a half-dozen to a dozen. Virtually all living inductees have attended
30082-428: 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. What other people didn't realize is that we just had one studio there, but we recorded in Chicago , Nashville , New York, L.A.—almost every big city. And we still got the sound. In addition to
30260-499: Was inducted in this category until 2009, when rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson was selected. Unlike earlier inductees in this category, Jackson's career almost entirely took place after the traditional 1955 start of the "rock era". Formerly the "Non-Performers" award, this category encompasses those who primarily work behind the scenes in the music industry, including record label executives, songwriters, record producers, disc jockeys, concert promoters and music journalists . Following
30438-468: Was mistakenly filled out with the name Diana. Her family and Detroit friends called her Diane all her life. Ross grew up with two sisters ( Barbara and Rita) and three brothers: Arthur ; Fred Jr.; and Wilbert, also known as Chico. Ross was raised Baptist . Ross and her family originally resided at 635 Belmont St., in the North End section of Detroit, near Highland Park, Michigan , where her neighbor
30616-417: Was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and Double Platinum (1999). Ross was named the "Female Entertainer of the Century" by Billboard in 1976. Since her solo career began in 1970, Ross has released 25 studio albums, numerous singles, and compilations that have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She is the only woman artist to have had U.S. number-one pop singles on the Billboard Hot 100 as
30794-472: Was originally an R&B label), and Rare Earth , whose acts, including the eponymous band , explored blues-oriented and progressive rock styles. Under the slogan "The Sound of Young America", Motown's acts were enjoying widespread popularity among black and white audiences alike. Smokey Robinson said of Motown's cultural impact: Into the 1960s, I was still not of a frame of mind that we were not only making music, we were making history. But I did recognize
30972-471: Was really only the soul—or perhaps élan vital —of a machine, ready to plug into whatever arrangement, lyric, or show dress Berry Gordy and the Motown organization provided. She sang of the pain of love without appearing to suffer, but, that doesn't mean that the catch-phrases—' You keep me hanging on ,' ' Where did our love go? ' ' Love is like an itching in my heart, and I can't scratch it '—were softened or somehow corrupted. Instead, they were transcended with
31150-515: Was released regionally on Gordy's new Tamla label. Gordy originally wanted to name the label Tammy Records, after the hit song popularized by Debbie Reynolds from the 1957 film Tammy and the Bachelor , in which Reynolds also starred. When he found the name was already in use, Berry decided on Tamla instead. In April 1959, Gordy and his sister Gwen founded Anna Records which released about two dozen singles between 1959 and 1960. The most popular
31328-459: Was replaced by Andre Harrell , the entrepreneur behind Uptown Records . Harrell served as Motown's CEO for just under two years, leaving the company after receiving bad publicity for being inefficient. Danny Goldberg, who ran PolyGram's Mercury Records group, assumed control of Motown, and George Jackson served as president. By 1998, Motown had added stars such as 702 , Brian McKnight , and Erykah Badu to its roster. In December 1998, PolyGram
31506-476: Was the president of Jobete, Tamla, and the music writing company Rayber. Gordy worked in various Detroit-based studios during this period to produce recordings and demos, but most prominently with United Sound Systems which was considered the best studio in town. However, producing at United Sound Systems was financially taxing and not appropriate for every job, so Gordy decided it would be more cost effective to maintain his own facility. In mid-1959, he purchased
31684-430: Was to include the stage actors who had performed on the play, but producer Rob Cohen could not garner the interest of any major Hollywood film studios. It was not until Ross convinced Cohen to cast her (instead of Stephanie Mills , who portrayed Dorothy on Broadway) as Dorothy that Universal Pictures agreed to finance the production. This casting decision led to a change in the film's script, in which Dorothy went from
#508491