Gordy wanted to change stereotypes of black culture by helping his artists to be more accepted by mainstream America. He wanted to take poor black youths from Detroit and teach them how to walk, talk, and dress as successful classy women and gentlemen. He hired Maxine Powell, who operated a finishing and modeling school, to prepare his performers. He also hired a choreographer Cholly Atkins, a well known dancer, to teach these groups how to move gracefully. He turned his street-smart performers into polished professionals.

In 1953 when Berry was out of the army, he opened a jazz oriented rec

In 1969, Bobby Taylor, the lead singer of a group the Vancouvers, introduced a family singing group to Berry Gordy. The Jackson Five from Gary, Indiana, were signed to Motown. Four of their first six singles, released between 1969 and 1971, went to number one on the pop charts. The other two singles held the number two spot. Motown also moved increasingly to TV production. It produced “Diana” a television special with Diana Ross, and “Goin’ Back to Indiana” a Jackson Five special. A cartoon about the Jackson Five also started in 1971.

1960 was a big year for Gordy. Smokey Robinson had convinced him that Motown should distribute its own records. So Gordy co-wrote and distributed “Shop Around” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. This song became a number one hit and established Motown as an important independent company. By this time Gordy had also set up the Motown Record Corporation, Hitsville USA and Berry Gordy Enterprise. Also, a producer from Motown, Robert Bateman, arranged a meeting with a singer named Mary Wells. Berry signed her immediately. She turned out to be the first real star for the label with a good number of pop hits. Gordy also discovered another singing group called the Distants, but changed their name to the Temptations. He released their first record in 1961. In this same year, a local girl group, named the Primettes, auditioned for Gordy. Although he was impressed with the group he asked them to finish school and then come back. They returned to Motown after graduating and were signed in January 1961. The groups name was then changed to the Supremes, and they had their first release on Tamla in April of 1961. They were unsuccessful with their first six singles, which were produced by Gordy and Robinson. Their seventh single, “When the Lovelight Starts Showing Through His Eyes” was produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. This song reached the number twenty three. Then the Supremes came out with five consecutive number one hits, “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and “Back in My Arms Again.” Based on

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