Hitsville U.S.A.
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"Hitsville U.S.A." was the nickname given to Motown Records' first headquarters. Located at 2648 West Grand Blvd. in Detroit, Michigan, Hitsville U.S.A., formerly a photographers' studio, was purchased by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959, and converted into both the record label's administrative building and recording studio, which was open 22 hours a day (closing from 8 to 10 AM for maintenance).
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[edit] History
[edit] Motown Records headquarters
All of the early Motown hits by artists such as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, The Temptations, The Supremes, Martha & the Vandellas, The Jackson 5, and The Four Tops, among others, were recorded in the studio at Hitsville, located in the back of the property. In the mid-1960s, the property at 2644 West Grand became an annex to the Hitsville building housing Motown's Jobete Music publishing division, and the Golden World Studio was purchased as a secondary studio. By 1968, Motown was successful enough to move its main operations to the Donovan building on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit (the Donovan Motown building was torn down in January of 2006.) Recording continued at Hitsville until 1972, and the company eventually relocated to the Los Angeles area that same year.
[edit] Motown Historical Museum
Since 1985, The Hitsville U.S.A. building has been the site of the Motown Historical Museum, dedicated to the legacy of the record label, its artists, and its music. Owned and operated by Esther Gordy Edwards, sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr., the Motown Museum contains exhibits featuring costumes, photos, and records from Motown's success era. Also featured are Motown's "Studio A" and Berry Gordy's upstairs apartment, decorated to appear as they did during the 1960s.
[edit] External links
- Motown Historical Museum - official website
- "Come and Get These Memories" (article on the Motown Museum by Gary Flinn)
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