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SOUL-LOVING Bristolians are being asked to share their Motown memories - ahead of a smash hit west end musical arriving in the city.
Motown the Musical is arriving at the Bristol Hippodrome in January, with local people being asked to share their memories of the musical genre to mark the occasion.
The show, which premiered on Broadway in April 2013, tells the story of Berry Gordy’s worldfamous Motown record label, which gave rise to huge stars such as The Jackson 5, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.
And Bristol has its own special place in Motown history.
Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Smokey Robinson and a 15-year-old Stevie Wonder all performed at Bristol’s Colston Hall in March 1965, on the tour that helped make Motown’s emerging talents into household names.
The record label celebrates its 60th anniversary on January 12, 2019 and Bristolians are being encouraged to share their memories of those performances in order to mark the occasion.
Together with Colston Hall and the Bristol Post, Motown The Musi
cal and the Bristol Hippodrome are appealing for anyone who attended that groundbreaking gig to share their experiences.
One young Motown fan who was at the Colston Hall gig in 1965 was Bristol teenager Adam White, who went on to devote his life and career to studying Motown and working in the music industry.
For Adam, the gig developed a life-long passion for Motown and led to him running a mail-order Motown record service and newsletter from the Clifton Record Shop in Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton.
Adam said: “By the time the tour came to Bristol, I was a fully signedup member of the Motown fan club.
“I first heard Motown records in
1963 and it changed my world – I had never heard music like it. I was absolutely obsessed – they meant everything to me.
“The gig was just extraordinary because I couldn’t imagine seeing all these artists I loved on stage at one time.
“The exuberance of the performers was amazing – they came across so vividly and it was so exciting. The choreography was fantastic with all their stage moves.
“I was about six rows back on the left hand side of the stalls and it was just stunning and overwhelming to see these artists perform.”
With just $800 borrowed from his family, Motown founder Berry Gordy went from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, discovering and launching the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more. Motown the Musical uncovers the true story of the legendary record label that changed music history and created the soundtrack of a generation.
With music and lyrics from the Motown catalogue and book by Berry Gordy, Charles Randolph-Wright’s production features a live orchestra playing 50 Motown tracks, including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop!
In The Name of Love, My Girl and I
Heard It Through the Grapevine and tells the story behind the classic hits.
The show features Edward Baruwa in the leading role of Berry Gordy, Karis Anderson as Diana Ross, Nathan Lewis as Smokey Robinson and Shak Gabbidon-Williams as Marvin Gaye.
The production is at the Bristol Hippodrome from January 10 to February 2.