Customer Reviews

Berry, Me, and Motown

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been fascinated with Berry Gordy, Motown and it's stars since childhood, but not until I read this book, did I see another side of this successful man. In all the years I have followed Motown and heard snipets about her existence, I had no idea what an important role this author, wife played in the success of Motown.

This book also, for me, placed a human side to Berry Gordy and not the myth and mega businessman.

This book also told, what I believe is the real story about the stars and artist who help build "Hitsville USA".

I recommend this book to all Motown, Gordy fans. It's fascinating and informative as well as a 60's history lesson.

Bravo to Raynoma Gordy Singleton for her honesty and humor.

You can almost feel that you are actually there.....the way it is written makes it so believable and the images it evokes bring you right back to those early days of Motown. They don't make songs like that anymore!

It makes you want to know if Raynoma has finally been recognized for the wonderful contribution she obviously made TO THE EARLY DAYS AND THE LASTING IMPACT OF MOTOWN Can she get a witness? The book shows in so many ways how she came close to getting the recognition she so richly deserves.............then failed to do so in the way she should. Makes you want to see a sequal for the years after this book was written...........

It made me see things in a different light. I truly admired her spirit and wonderful talent. I think she's done a great job telling it like it was and is!

This was an excellent insiders view of what actually transpired to make Motown what it is. From Berry's humble beginnings as a poor pimp, to the way he played psychologically with the minds of poor ghetto kids and emotionally destroyed the ones who dared think for themselves. Sad, but had to be told story.

I truly enjoyed reading this book and find Ms. Gordy-Singleton's accounts of Motown's rise and fall and her relationship with Berry Gordy accurate and truthful. Unfortunately, Berry Gordy made every attempt to destroy the careers and credibility of those artists who dared to defy him (Mary Wells, Martha Reeves, David Ruffin, Gladys Knight, Florence Ballard--to name a few) while leading his employees to believe that "we're all in this together" while keeping the real spoils of victory only for himself. After reading this book I find both Berry Gordy and (especially) Diana Ross utterly despicable. I strongly recommend this book to any Motown music fan as it's a definitive, well-written and extremely informative and entertaining chronicle of the label that put R&B music on the map.

Just about every book written by people from Motown have painted Berry Gordy as a master manipulator and this book confirms that. I doubt if everyone is telling the same lie. The only question I have is why did she keep going back to help him? I guess Ms. Singleton's case is demonstration of emotional battered women's syndrome.

This was the latest book that I have read and I must admit, it was the best account of the infamous Motown Records. I felt like I was there with Raynoma Liles as she gives us an account of the building of Motown Records.

I loved how descriptive she was of James Jamerson, Papa Zita, Lovain Demps, The Love Tones, and many other gifted people who pumping out instrumental and vocal masterpieces that are treasured all over the world today.

I cried when she spoke of Wanda Young of The Marvelettes and how her marriage and her life ended so destitute. Other artist were covered besides The Supremes for a change and gave a clearer view of the entire picture.

Picture Detroit, 1960, Cadillac was king, Berry and Raynoma had a dream, and Motown reigned supreme.

I was in high school when I read this book, and I really loved it. I felt like I was there when everything happened. It really upsets me to know that Raynoma didn't get the proper credit she deserves for co-founding Motown. Like the previous reviewer, I wish there was sequel to find out what has happened since the book's publication. I also wish someone would make a movie out of it.

I was amazed at how fast I was able to read this book considering I don't have much free time these days, however, once I started I couldn't stop, causing me to take the book everywhere I went. Like another reviewer stated, as you follow Motown you always hear about Berry and MAYBE a quick snippet about Raynoma and how she was very musical, but I had no idea just how instrumental this woman was to Motown's success. In fact, Smokey Robinson always gets the credit as the one who encouraged Berry to start his own label, but before there was Smokey, there was Raynoma. I am now reading Mary Wilson's book Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith, which is another page turner, and it's so interesting to see how the two stories match up.

It's amazing to me how anyone can be so hungry for money and power that they will actually have no problems treating others so unfair just to get ahead. And this is not to take away from the fact that Berry was definitely a very smart businessman and was able to maintain Motown's success, however, the means in which he accomplished this isn't anything to be proud of.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the Motown history.

Fascinating stories about the burst of creativity and enthusiasm that started Motown. Very satifying to read because the writer lets you deep into her soul and tells very real and detailed stories.