Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Sep 11, 2002

1h 56m

★ 6.9

The soul behind the sound.

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.

Genres

Documentary

Music

Production Companies

Elliott Scott Productions

Rimshot

Standing in the Shadows of Motown Trailers

Cast

Himself

Richard 'Pistol' Allen

Himself

Jack Ashford

Himself

Bob Babbitt

Himself (archive footage)

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Himself (archive footage)

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown

Himself

Bootsy Collins

Himself

Johnny Griffith

Himself

Ben Harper

Himself

Joe Hunter

Himself (archive footage)

James Jamerson

Himself

Uriel Jones

Himself

Montell Jordan

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