Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. investing $100 million in a Broadway musical based on his life.
Hell-bent on preserving his legacy, legendary Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. is developing a Broadway musical based on his life to set the record straight on the inception of the iconic label.Jacked from Page Six
Sources say Gordy has been quietly working with former Universal Music CEO Doug Morris and "Rent" producer Kevin McCollum on the autobiographical story, which will be set against the backdrop of the 1960s civil rights movement and feature a score of Motown classics.
We hear Gordy, 81, has a $100 million budget in sight. "Berry's been wanting to do this for a long time. He's got the money and investors lined up," a source said. "He's trying to involve Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson." The show's press agent, Adrian Bryan-Brown,said there's no timetable for the production yet.
"This is Berry's chance to set the record straight," a source said, referring to some of the darker tales of his past.
Sources say Gordy has also sought to block attempts to produce a Marvin Gaye biopic, fearing it might depict him in a negative light. Directors F. Gary Gray and Cameron Crowe called it "impossible" last month to license Gaye's music for the soundtrack and bowed out of trying to tell his story. British director Julien Temple has taken the reins.
Gordy owns the rights to most of the Motown catalogs. Gaye and Gordy had a troubled relationship and fought over Gaye's hit track, "What's Going On," which Gordy said was "the worst record I ever heard."
Gaye married Gordy's older sister, Anna Gordy Gaye, and died at 44 in 1984, shot dead by his own father.
"He [Gordy] basically owns the rights to the Marvin Gaye story," another source said. "And he's been quietly blocking the scripts and music because he doesn't want his name dragged through the mud."
Speaking for Gordy, Bryan-Brown told us, "All licensing of anything Motown has to go through EMI. Mr. Gordy is unaware of any projects being blocked.
6 comments:
So basically they're going to bring back dream girls to broadway? A story about Motown and berry gordy is basically dream girls
I'm interested to see how they play out his secret love affair with Diana Ross.
Gordy fought with everyone. From Martha Reeves to Stevie Wonder to the Jacksons. A couple weeks ago I read that he hated Eddie Kendricks (and Eddie was suppose to be a Motown sweetheart). Berry said the same things about Stevie's music that he said about Marvin's. He hated it, people wouldn't buy it, no one was interested in "conscious" music. Little did he know.
In his favor, he was a control freak because he had to be. He was chartering unknown territory in the middle of the civil rights movement. He couldn't afford to make a wrong move.
I know this story will be whitewashed, but it still should be interesting.
Cosign with GailS ^ ^ ^
SN: Gordy looks good for his age. I hope he lives to see his final work :)
Whats the mofo'n point, the truth will not be seen or heard, stupid mofo can give that 100 million to people who need it, instead of satuating his big ego with it.
bald headed bitch
give that 100 million to the artist that was robbed of it starting with florence ballard the temptations
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