About the Author

Nelson George is a film and television producer and the prolific, bestselling author of The Death of Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop America, Thriller: The Musical Life of Michael Jackson, and numerous other books.

Reviews

"George's reporting is first-rate, and there are juicy anecdotes, nuggets of gossip, and trivia, along with the straight corporate history. . . . This is a book for pop music fans, anyone curious about the recording industry, and fans of Dreamgirls who want to know the true story."--Philadelphia Daily News

"A can't-put-down study of Berry Gordy and Motown. This is it, no punches pulled, as important a piece of pop history as has been published."--New York Daily News

"Leagues beyond other volumes written about Motown."--Detroit Free Press

George offers a concise history of Berry Gordy's Motown Records, emphasizing Gordy's enterprising and social-climbing bents. He deals with Motown's inception in the late 1950s; the creation of its hit-making machinery that propelled such acts as the Supremes, the Temptations, and Marvin Gaye to stardom; and its decline in the 70s. Though much of this material has been presented in other books, George has conducted interviews which provide insights into the label's history. Best are his sections on Berry Gordy's entrepreneurial background and his discussion of the musicians who backed the Motown stars and helped to create the Motown sound. An interesting book, written in a spritely style, this will give general readers an equitable glimpse of the Motown Empire. David Szatmary, Continuing Education, Univ. of Washington, Seattle

"George's reporting is first-rate, and there are juicy anecdotes, nuggets of gossip, and trivia, along with the straight corporate history. . . . This is a book for pop music fans, anyone curious about the recording industry, and fans of Dreamgirls who want to know the true story."--Philadelphia Daily News
"A can't-put-down study of Berry Gordy and Motown. This is it, no punches pulled, as important a piece of pop history as has been published."--New York Daily News
"Leagues beyond other volumes written about Motown."--Detroit Free Press