Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Record Corporation on January 12, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, with an $800 loan from his family. Initially named Tamla Records, the company was later incorporated as Motown Record Corporation, deriving its name from Detroit's nickname "Motor Town."

As a former boxer and assembly line worker at Ford Motor Company, Gordy had a vision to create a record label that would bring African American music to mainstream audiences. He applied the assembly line principles he learned at Ford to create a hit-making machine that would revolutionize the music industry.

Starting in a modest two-story house at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, nicknamed "Hitsville U.S.A.," Gordy built Motown from the ground up. The building served as both recording studio and headquarters, operating 24 hours a day to produce some of the most iconic music in American history.

The label's first hit came in 1960 with Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)." This success was quickly followed by The Miracles' "Shop Around," which became Motown's first million-selling record. These early victories established Motown's signature sound and commercial viability.

Under Gordy's leadership, Motown launched the careers of legendary artists including:

Diana Ross & The Supremes
The Temptations
Marvin Gaye
Stevie Wonder
The Jackson 5
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Gordy's unique approach to artist development included in-house finishing school classes, where artists learned etiquette, stage presence, and choreography. This comprehensive training system helped create polished performers who could appeal to both black and white audiences.

Today, Motown stands as one of the most successful black-owned businesses in American history. Berry Gordy Jr. sold the company in 1988 to MCA and Boston Ventures for $61 million. Now part of Universal Music Group, Motown continues to influence popular music and culture, serving as a testament to Gordy's revolutionary vision and entrepreneurial spirit.

Gordy's founding of Motown not only created a legendary record label but also helped break down racial barriers in the music industry, creating what he called "The Sound of Young America" that would appeal to people of all backgrounds and generations.

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