Celebrating 60 Years of Motown

[AARPLynne]

AARP is celebrating 60 years of Motown! Who's your favorite classic group or artist?

[rc61653200]

The Supremes

Marvin Gaye

Temptations

Jackson 5

Martha and the Vandellas

Gladys Knight

and many more...

[adaith]

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Diana Ross & the Supremes

The Temptations

The Four Tops

Stevie Wonder

[1968Hoya46]

I was always partial to two of the earliest Motown artists, Marv Johnson and Mary Wells. Both had several big hits early on. Unfortunately, neither achieved the tremendous success of many of their Motown contemporaries. 

[Cirice]

Marvin Gaye is my favorite. I also like Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Babyface and Teena Marie.

I saw Smokey Robinson (in the front row) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on my 30th birthday. I gave him a rose and he gave me a kiss 😘

[AdrienneN908339]

Diana Ross is my all time favorite Motown female artist. Her style was so fierce. She was truly the “Boss”. She took control and commanded attention in all her shows. Sexy, sassy, captivating, beautiful, Superbly raw talent. This lady did it all music, acting, modeling, producer, arranger, CEO. She definitely made her mark! She made sure everyone knew “I’m Coming Out” was her signature motto!

[d672437g]

It has to be the one and only " Funk Brothers ". If it haven't been for them, maybe there wouldn't have been a Motown Sound.

[Shpilkah]

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@AARPLynne wrote:

AARP is celebrating 60 years of Motown! Who's your favorite classic group or artist?

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I was partial to The Temptations. Who could resist songs like, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone", Psychedelic Shack", Runaway Child", or "Ball of Confusion"? But I have a bone to pick: It seems no one mentioned the group Rare Earth. Why did Motown seem to neglect Rare Earth when they had their 50 year celebration? Could it be that Rare Earth was one of the few non African American groups that were signed to Motown? I'm just spitballing here, but Rare Earth had some pretty big hits for Motown" "Hey, Big Brother", Get Ready", Tobacco Road", and "(I Know) I'm Losing You"

[VickiS623605]

Well, I can not think of any Motown artists that I did not love, but would have to say that Diana Ross and the Supremes were my favorite!  Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder would be right up there as well!

[dc1598737]

Diana Ross and the Supremes

Mary Wilson

Susaye Greene

Sherrie Payne

Marvin Gaye

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

[HelenlG407765]

The Four Tops, "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch, I Can't Help Myself " Helen. Los Angeles

[HelenlG407765]

The Four Tops, "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch, I Can't Help Myself " Helen. Los Angeles

[HelenlG407765]

The Four Tops! "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch. I Can't Help Myself " Helen Los Angeles

[PatriciaH339922]

Marvin Gaye is definitely my favorite. The love of his music passed through two generations.

The Isley Brothers(very short time in the 60s).

The Spinners

[MarthaH799722]

The Temptations my favorite Motown group....but the music from all the groups was so so good...I still enjoy those sounds!

[ReTiReD51]

“Motown As We Know It Would Not Exist Without Holland-Dozier-Holland”
                             ....… Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I agree with @rh97821964 the prolific Motown song writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland deserves a nod and then some. Goggle this trio for a list of the many hit Motown songs they wrote.

Smokey Robinson was not only a great performer but he wrote the songs for himself and the Miracles and he wrote songs for many other Motown stars, Marvin Gaye, the Marveletts, Jimmy Ruffin, the Temptations, Mary Wells and The Supremes.

[scleland]

I’m more British Invasion than Motown.  However, I always loved the most diva Diana Ross and the Supremes!

[EllenM871550]

I love the 4 Tops, and the Temptations. I grew up listening to this music as a native Detroiter, and I still love it! Simply the best music. From "Sugarpie Honeybunch", to "Baby I need your lovin", and more, Motown music will never go out of style.

[Reesy26]

My favs are a tie between Mary Wells and Smokey and the Miricles

[rh97821964]

I would pick Smokey/Miracles due to their relative longevity over Mary Wells - who was a great singer - and having Smokey as their composer/lead singer. Mary, unfortunately, passed away far too soon.

[coleenw357337]

Al Green .. hands down

[dc1598737]

Not Motown.

[blkdolfin2]

Absolutely Stevie Wonder!! I saw him in a small club in Los Angeles, Marty's On the Hill and a significantly larger venue, The Forum. He dated a high schoo classmate and I MET HIM in the Crenshaw Mall, almost getting hit by a car getting to him where I made a complete fool of myself, asking his companion if I could speak to him. He replied, "He can hear you." Oy. He was my first celebrity crush and I still love his music, "As" my all time favorite.

[im8057]

Motown was great music 🎶 you had to love the Temptations, Four Tops, Martha Reeves,Supremes, Mary Wells, Marvin Gay, Smokey Robinson,but the real music makers of these songs were the Funk Brothers. 🎶

[larryk258063]

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles followed by the Temptations. I grew up in Detroit, 5 miles from Hitsville. They were bigger than the Beatles!

[rh97821964]

Liked the choreography of Motown's groups: Temptations, Four Tops, Supremes, etc. Motown's in house prep department was great.

And give a shout out to the Funk Brothers, Motowns in house band.

[ct3815]

The Temptations was an awesome Motown group. 

[vr8373]

Stevie Wonder

Marvin Gaye

The Supremes

The Miracles

Jackson 5

This was the best soundtrack of my life, and I'm still listening 60 years later. 

[h969372t]

I couldn't get enough of the Statler Brothers. Their voices were great and they were also funny at times. Loved their take off on some scriptures. 

[cardiosue]

The Temptations 

Kool & the Gang

Diana Ross and the Supremes

So many more

Bee Gee's

Eagles