What is the African-American identity in Motown and Soul music?
Soul music was a development out of blues and gospel, both of which were african-american creations. The soul singer sang the blues but in a spiritual way. eg Ray Charles’ famous “What I’d Say” is trendsetting for the use of gospel “call and response”. Soul music was an almost totally african-american dominated musical genre. At Atlantic Records, the staff singers included Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Otis Redding, and the house band was Booker T and the MGs, including white musos such as Steve Cropper. Motown was another almost entirely AA dominated business. It was founded by Berry Gordy and his sisters, and the artists were recruited out of the poorer areas of Chicago. However, Gordy’s approach to his stable was different from that of Atlantic records. He wanted to break through into the white dominated scene, and so insisted that his acts be taught deportment and manners, and be dressed expensively. This, he insisted, would break down the stereotyp
