Motown #1's

The son of a plasterer, Berry Gordy Jr. 45 years ago began building the best-known record company of the 20th century from the ground up. By accident and then design, he did so in America's heartland, away from its traditional music capitals. And the iconic map of Detroit he had printed in the center of almost every Motown 45 became more than a lesson in geography. Calling out around the world, the music and artists associated with that label and that enterprise empowered a generation, and has influenced the sound of popular music ever since. The Detroit bloodline still pulses through modern music, just as the songs have become integrated into America's cultural heritage, resonating 'round the globe in the new century. One recent example: Michael McDonald's admiring album of interpretations, Motown, is a platinum record in the U.S. and earned a pair of Grammyr nominations.