Customer Reviews

Motown : The Golden Years: The Stars and Music That Shaped a Generation

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a brand new, year 2001 soft back, 384 page book. It features a great 32 page full color section with 50 photos. More than 100 rare photos are included. A host of black and white vintage photos appear along with interesting text throughout the volume. Chapters provide in depth coverage of nearly 100 stars of the golden era of Motown. There is a wealth of information here. You'll find a Motown 1959 - 1972 "Defining the Sound of Young America" chapter included. Motown music fans will find this an interesting read and great reference.

I got this book during the Christmas season and I can honestly say it was my best gift. Although I have always liked Motown, the subject is not one I would have requested a book on. Thank you you-know-who for disregarding my list this year. There is so much information here that I'm sure the author, for sanity sake, decided it was best to put it in an encyclopedia-like format. So, "M" for example, under Superstars, would list Martha and the Vandellas, the Marvelettes, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. This is not to suggest that because it's in that format, it'a a cold, reference book. Mr. Dahl presents each artist, songwriter, or musician's bio in a very readable, story-like way. And on some major artists, like the writers Holland-Dozier- Holland, they have their few pages, but in addition are incorporated into others' stories. In my family I'm considered the musical trivia expert, but a page didn't go by that I didn't learn something new and fascinating about an artist or the history of Motown. And there's a large section covering I believe every single person who even walked through the doors of Motown! I'm exaggerating, but it's an amazing list along with their stories of course. I was especially impressed with how Mr. Dahl brought out Berry Gordy's story of imagining the impossible and then bringing it to fruition. Oh yes, I forgot to mention there's a ...-load of great photos.

Great Book. This is the first book that deal with other Motown singers and songwriters and producers who have been forgotten. They focus on other stars besides The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Supremes, The Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, in this book they introduce you to other great Motown singers, great pictures, rare, never before seen pictures, this is a most for motown fans.

Bill Dahl is often consulted by other authors to check facts before they publish their works. Now we get the direct line. This book can be read as a reference work or for entertainment, as all the names and dates are seamlessly and accurately included in the real Motown story: Who made the music, from the biggest stars to unsung virtuoso session men; when, where, and, how. A must for any fan of popular music. Oh yeah, lots of great photos, too.

The previous reviewers are absolutely right about this book. This is a fun and fascinating look back at a golden age of American popular music and the groups, producers and songwriters who made it happen. Much more than a rehash of the Motown story from secondary sources; the author personally interviewed many of the stars and lesser-known lights who helped create the music we love. Good, crisp writing and a generous collection of photographs bring the Motown story to life. A must-have for anyone who loves Motown or is interested in American popular music.

great to see a Book that fully captures the Motown Sound&all it's glory here.a solid Overview on the History of Motown.I can't Help but get excited about a Book on Motown because nothing out nowadays has the spirit&energy of this Giant.the Many Great Minds that made this Label Flourish gets just due here.enjoy.

Finally a comprehensive book about the great Motoen artists from the "Golden Age." The A-Z format made it very easy to read, but the technical structure of the book seemed unprofessional and very computer generated. Sometimes graphics covered text completely. The photographs aren't exactly "unseen" as they are various. I expected less euphemisms and an accurate story. Some of it was very good, like info on David and Jimmy Ruffin's relationship with the Tempts and Motown, although you have to look around for it.

I gave it four stars because I wish that there was more on some of the lesser known artists at Motown. But overall, this is a great book filled with great photos of artists in their heyday and full of facts that probably weren't known about them until now. And they weren't just still B&Ws, there were photos of artists on tour, off tour, on break, very candid!

Life was simple, justalways more of the same! Then little by little my radio dial moved more and more to the right! It was a new kind of music and one by one my friends were getting the message! MOTOWN! New names, new songs, new beat. But behind the scenes at The Motown Factory, there were stories we Suburban White Folks never even thought of. If you couldn't shoot hoops there was little way out of the Ghetto except music and all the things that went with it. Young talented and clueless, these kids knew enough to know this was it. Hit it here and life would be a breeze! Little by little they learned they had to look better, sound better and move better because there were plenty of hungry people with talent ready to step into their shoes so the smart ones gave 120% because they liked this new place! Motown; The Golden years gives us a look at the growing change in our music. This was the new sound to beat and the Beatles and their friends had not yet risen to own the Charts yet! So longtime music writer Bill Dahl has brought the story to us. All the many happy and sad stories that growth and change brought to Motown and how even without knowing all the backdrop, this music was changing our lives, too! Written in a way to keep anyone interested, with facts and stories of all the Motown artists plus a ton of great pictures that took us back to a simpler time and what a time it was. A GREAT read that you can open anywhere and then you could keep on going. If you were there this book brings back the memories or the behind the scenes stories of the Evolution of The Motown Sound and if you weren't there it takes you there. A great read and great pictures! It truly was the Golden Years! A great read and a great gift!!!

I bought this books as a gift,so I did not actually read the book. But I did glance at the content and the book is well organized and has a lot of pictures. Looks like it covers most of the major names in music for that era.