Thursday, March 23rd 
1:30 PM
John Clark, Music Historian

IN PERSON

A few spots left!

Join us for a program given by John Clark on Motown’s early days. The program will discuss the role of producer and entrepreneur Barry Gordy, who was the mastermind behind Motown, a hitmaking music empire that rivaled the success of the major record labels and even the Beatles in the mid-1960s. We will also learn about Motown’s co-founder, Smokey Robinson, who had the first hit with “Shop Around” and went on to produce and write for Mary Wells, the Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and his own group, the Miracles. The team of Holland, Dozier and Holland had the magic touch for many hits by Martha & the Vandellas and the Four Tops and an incredible ten chart-toppers for the Supremes. Motown started Stevie Wonder out as a Ray Charles imitator, but by decade’s end he was writing and producing his own hits. The Four Tops gave us two iconic hits with “Can’t Help Myself” and “Reach Out I’ll Be There” and Marvin Gaye hit all the right notes on one of the most successful records of the decade, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine.” With the success of Motown in the sixties, black music fully entered the American mainstream and left behind a trail of unforgettable hits.

Call us at 781-235-3961 to register for this wonderful presentation!