Motown Quotes

Motown was about music for all people – white and black, blue and green, cops and the robbers. I was reluctant to have our music alienate anyone. (Berry Gordy)
I've discovered that Motown and Broadway have a lot in common - a family of wonderfully talented, passionate, hardworking young people, fiercely competitive but also full of love and appreciation for the work, for each other and for the people in the audience. View quote
Berry Gordy
When I was a kid in the mid-'60s, I was what's known as a moddie boy, a prototype skinhead. You all had your hair like a crew cut, cropped, with suits or Levis with red suspenders, sometimes Doc Martens. It was a thriving soul music, Motown and ska scene; we used to dance to Prince Buster and the Skatalites. View quote
Graham Parker
I love Motown, but I've obviously always been more of a Memphis soul fan. If it's Stax or Motown, I go Stax. View quote
Justin Townes Earle
I went from elementary school to proper training, operatic training, and I went on to the Motown University and learned a lot of things from some wonderful people. View quote
Martha Reeves
I grew up not far from where Motown was founded, maybe 300 miles from Detroit and I've always liked - I used to like the way they made records. I still do, I just haven't had a chance to hear as much. They used to entertain me. View quote
Rick Danko
Well, I had an after hours club in Vancouver and when any of the Motown acts would call. View quote
Tommy Chong
Motown was the mecca. It was every writer's dream to work there. View quote
Valerie Simpson
With the '60s era and Motown, my grandparents actually introduced us to that when I was younger, so I grew up listening to the Jackson Five, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Supremes and Diana Ross' solo stuff. I just loved it. View quote
Jordin Sparks
One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth. View quote
Smokey Robinson
Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist. (Smokey Robinson)
People still look at Michael Jackson as being a Motown artist. View quote
Smokey Robinson
I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music. View quote
Smokey Robinson
Motown will always be a heavy-duty part of my life because those are my roots. View quote
Smokey Robinson
Once you're a Motown artist, that's your stigmatism, and I was there from the very first day. View quote
Smokey Robinson
I love to sing old Motown songs to myself, or some Patti Smith Edith Piaf or Billie Holiday. That gets me in the mood for singing. View quote
Siobhan Fahey
There are certain things that we take for granted that simply would not have existed without the great migration. Motown, for example, would not have existed - it simply would not, because Berry Gordy, the founder of it, his parents had migrated from Georgia to Detroit where he founded Motown, and where did he get his talent? View quote
Isabel Wilkerson
Without the Fender bass, there'd be no rock n' roll or no Motown. The electric guitar had been waiting 'round since 1939 for a nice partner to come along. It became an electric rhythm section, and that changed everything. View quote
Quincy Jones
Growing up, I never listened to English music. I was more into Motown, as well as early rock n' roll like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. View quote
Alex Winston
I feel Motown really exploited me. View quote
Brenda Holloway
With my music, I don't have to stay in one lane. One day I'm in Motown, and the next day I'm in reggae. (Estelle)
And for some reason, when I'm sad, I do listen to Leonard Cohen, I do listen to Joni Mitchell. I do find myself going to the music that's actually reflecting my mood, as opposed to sticking on Motown, which might actually bring my mood up. View quote
Glen Hansard
'Let's Get It On' is a classic Motown single, endlessly repeatable and always enjoyable. View quote
Jon Landau
My dad was a soul fan and a singer himself, and he loved vocal harmony, stuff like the Beach Boys and Motown like the Four Tops, which was a big influence on me. View quote
Katy B
Artist development is something that I've been passionate about from my days at Uptown and Motown Records. View quote
Laurieann Gibson