Week 8: Motown–Who Is She?

*Jonathan Van Ness voice* Motown? Who is she? I’m embarrassed I didn’t really know.  As we walked up to the museum, though, “My Girl” was playing, and something deep and guttural in me started singing along–I’d heard it many times before! My Mom has been playing Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Temptations, and Diana Ross in the car since I was little. (Probably not unique.) I had no idea they all came from Detroit. You can guess, then, that I learned so much from our tour at the Motown Museum. I loved how the guide described that Berry Gordy was smart to create many labels to get around laws limiting the number of songs radio stations could play and that they “trained” singers for fame. My favorite fact, though, was that Gordy insisted that the people who refilled the candy machine always keep the Baby Ruths in the same spot, so little Stevie Wonder could find them every time. I’ll try to go back when I leave with her, but we’ll probably be lucky to leave the same day.