Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

The soul behind the sound.

6.9116 min
DocumentaryMusic

Overview

In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company. Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together, the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.

Movie Info

Release Date: 9/11/2002

Runtime: 116 min

Writers: Ntozake Shange

Top Cast

Jack Ashford

Jack Ashford

Self

Bob Babbitt

Bob Babbitt

Self

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Self (archive footage)

Bootsy Collins

Bootsy Collins

Self

Ben Harper

Ben Harper

Self

James Jamerson

James Jamerson

Self (archive footage)

Uriel Jones

Uriel Jones

Self

Montell Jordan

Montell Jordan

Self

Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan

Self

Gerald Levert

Gerald Levert

Self

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