Motown Records: The Greatest Soul Music Label

In its golden decade from the early 1960s to the early 1970s, Motown Records lived up to its slogan, “The Sound of Young America” with the greatest soul music of the era. Author and music historian Richie Unterberger presents and discusses performance clips from that time by amazing Black stars such as the Supremes, the Temptations, the Miracles, Mary Wells, Martha & the Vandellas, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye, and the Jackson Five. 

Did you know? The name Motown is derived from the nickname Motor City which is a portmanteau of motor and town. It refers to Detroit, which is considered the center of the automotive industry in the United States and where the label was originally headquartered. Join us to learn so much more about this socially and culturally impactful time.  

Rock historian Richie Unterberger is the author of numerous rock history books, including volumes on the Beatles, the Who, the Velvet Underground, Bob Marley, and 1960s folk-rock. He teaches courses on rock and soul music history at several Bay Area colleges. His latest book, San Francisco: Portrait of a City, was published by Taschen in 2022.