 Hitsville U.S.A. is the birthplace of Motown music--the unique sound that changed the world in the 60s and 70s! Over 70,000 visitors each year walk through the structure that gave rise to voices like The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Mary Wells, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and The Four Tops. Of course, there were many more...including the songwriters, instrumentalists and the Founder Berry Gordy Jr, the guy who started it all. So...when it was discovered that the museum was planning a 50 million-dollar expansion, anticipation and excitement filled the atmosphere! It could not have happened to a greater musical legacy and city. The planned project is set to reach 50,000 square ft. and looks like it could be part of the Las Vegas Strip...but it isn't. It's Motown-our town!  After Berry moved his record label enterprise to L.A., Hitsville U.S.A. closed, but emerged as a nonprofit in 1985 and has served visitors for 34 years. Fundraising for the nonprofit began in 2016, intensified in 2017 and has garnered support from heavy hitters like the DTE Energy Foundation, UAW-Ford, Ford Motor and William Davidson Foundation. As a young woman listening to the falsetto voice of Eddie Kendrick and the "soulful, churchy" voice of David Ruffin, the writer joins others in recognizing that it is high time the city honors the men and women who shared their talents with the world, and positively influenced social issues and American values.
0 Comments
|
RSS Feed