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

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

"The soul behind the sound."

2002
1h 56m
6.9
US
Documentary
Music

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 Details

Languages

English

Key Crew

Ntozake Shange

Ntozake Shange

Writer

David Scott

David Scott

Executive Producer

Cast

R

Richard 'Pistol' Allen

Himself

Jack Ashford

Jack Ashford

Himself

Bob Babbitt

Bob Babbitt

Himself

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Himself (archive footage)

E

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown

Himself (archive footage)

Bootsy Collins

Bootsy Collins

Himself

J

Johnny Griffith

Himself

Ben Harper

Ben Harper

Himself

J

Joe Hunter

Himself

James Jamerson

James Jamerson

Himself (archive footage)

Uriel Jones

Uriel Jones

Himself

Montell Jordan

Montell Jordan

Himself

Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan

Herself

Gerald Levert

Gerald Levert

Himself

Joe Messina

Joe Messina

Himself

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell Ndegeocello

Herself

J

Joan Osborne

Herself

R

Rudy Robinson

Himself

J

James Jamerson Jr.

Himself

P

Paul Riser

Himself

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