Motown Museum.

You can't stop progress, and i guess it's a good thing...but i can't help feeling it might lose something. Not sure i'd get the same feeling about the place if i visited it when done in 2024.

nostalgia hey, it's a bummer!

https://eu.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/brian-mccollum/2022/09/07/motown-museum-expansion-renderings/65742369007/

 

Edited September 8, 20222 yr by Kenb

I agree. I visited in the early 90s.

This new Disney Makeover will ruin the magic . 

Fundraising for the $55 million campaign stands at $43 million, following a $5 million gift last month from Dan Gilbert’s Rocket Companies and Gilbert Family Foundation.
 

What is Berry Gordy's net worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Berry Gordy has an estimated net worth of $400 million (£288m)

Guess he’s hanging onto it - just in case his elec and gas go up 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Money..that's what I want

so glad i went ,before this happened...one of the best days of my life walking around there with MEL BRITT..

6 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

I agree. I visited in the early 90s.

This new Disney Makeover will ruin the magic . 

WE WERE THERE 2005, WE WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE JOINT !! GREAT EERIE ATMOSPHERE

WIFE EVEN WENT BACK TO BUY TRINKETS FROM GIFT SHOP FOR HER CHUMS

WAS TOLD AT PEOPLES RECORDS THAT ON CERTAIN DAYS YOU GET GUIDED ROUND MY MARTHA REEVES

SHE WAS STANDING IN THE LOCAL ELECTIONS AT THAT TIME

When I went, my friend and I, on 3 seperate visits, were allowed into Studio A, with no official / guide present.

We took  'mock' photos of ourselves sitting at the piano, behind the drum baffle, playing vibes, adjusting sound monitors  etc. Nobody stopped us....let us play around for a long time, un-supervised 

I seriously doubt that you get anywhere near that kind of interaction now.

 

32 minutes ago, 25miles said:

WE WERE THERE 2005, WE WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE JOINT !! GREAT EERIE ATMOSPHERE

WIFE EVEN WENT BACK TO BUY TRINKETS FROM GIFT SHOP FOR HER CHUMS

WAS TOLD AT PEOPLES RECORDS THAT ON CERTAIN DAYS YOU GET GUIDED ROUND MY MARTHA REEVES

SHE WAS STANDING IN THE LOCAL ELECTIONS AT THAT TIME

Our trip to Detroit came about after Martha Reeves handed ny friend her business card, saying that we should contact her if we ever made the trip to Motown.

So we  got it together and went, but Martha initially could not meet us as she had to fly to LA to attend the funeral of Mary Wilson's son .

Martha returned to Detroit, sent her driver to pick us up, and we accompanied her  ( via a drive -in hamburger joint in her limo)as she ran a local talent/amatuer night ( which ended up with both of us singing with local kids and Martha on stage) 

She was to take us on a tour to Hitsville but got sidetracked by a radio station, so it never happened.

I think it looks awful , really glad I went before this makeover with Rob Moss ,Paul Riser ,Dennis Coffey ,and Ed Wolfrum .Unbelievable really .....

First image Looks like a garden centre.

Second one looks like a shipping container.

Third one looks like just about any out of town shopping centre.

It may not end up looking like this though, will have to wait and see.

 

Edited September 9, 20222 yr by Mick Holdsworth
typo

A museum in the adjoing buildings might have been suitable, but 2648/50 should have been left as they were. But they have gone down the tourist road.

When I visited, I had a difficult time going through the  Airport Border checks, with a very UNfriendly official who wanted to know why I had travelled "all this way to see that little house".

I told her it was like visiting Graceland. She looked at me as though she was going to have arrested.

 

Edited September 9, 20222 yr by Owd Codger

17 hours ago, Staceys Dad said:

so glad i went ,before this happened...one of the best days of my life walking around there with MEL BRITT..

Mine too fantastic day and then in Memphis smoke after brilliant 

3 hours ago, Owd Codger said:

A museum in the adjoing buildings might have been suitable, but 2648/50 should have been left as they were. But they have gone down the tourist road.

When I visited, I had a difficult time going through the  Airport Border checks, with a very UNfriendly official who wanted to know why I had travelled "all this way to see that little house".

I told her it was like visiting Graceland. She looked at me as though she was going to have arrested.

 

2650 West Grand Boulevard was destroyed by fire in 1971.

https://soulfuldetroit.com/web01-soulfuldetroit/motown3.htm

2646 then?

Edited September 9, 20222 yr by Owd Codger

Glad i went in 1993 to see it how it was

Edited September 9, 20222 yr by Bonzo100

With Paul Riser at Hitsville USA …

On 09/09/2022 at 13:45, David Meikle said:

2650 West Grand Boulevard was destroyed by fire in 1971.

https://soulfuldetroit.com/web01-soulfuldetroit/motown3.htm

Thanks for that information David.

I know ,and this article mentions, that 2646 is now used for entrance.

When I went in 1994, we entered 2648. I'm not sure when it changed, but I'm glad that that was the situation we found ourselves in...seemed right.

From what I was told, it was Esther who looked after 2648 and the rest, with little interest from Berry. A DJ/collector of this parish, who I was in contact with, explained to me that 2648 was basically LP sleeves stapled to the wall....not much more in type of  Musuem type memrobilia in a professional way. I've seen photos of memrobilia in there.....perhaps the new make over set all the artefacts into some kind of order.

When I went, there had been a proper Musuem makeover, with Dr. Rowena Stewart in charge. Ron Swope who we met, was in charge of the operation ( I think that was the case). 2648/46 now had pastel shaded rooms, with various themes, pictures, 45s, LPs sleeves , costumes  etc. A video show. 

We were invited to the opening of a Jazz Historical Society, a number of Motown related Detroiters there. DR.Stewart may have been there. 

Ps. I have a photograph if Bean Bowles with a lady at the Jazz event. I'm 90% certain it was Musuem Arranger Dr. Stewart 

 

 

Edited September 10, 20222 yr by Owd Codger

Information on Museum Curator

https://m.facebook.com/nt/screen/?params={"note_id"%3A10160687235258289}&path=%2Fnotes%2Fnote%2F&refsrc=deprecated&_rdr

Dr Stewart and Beans Bowles

 

 

Pat Lewis taking my Golden World shirt, and going to show it to George Clinton who passing through Detroit. Pat invited us to his (Birthday??) party, but we couln't make it.

 

Edited September 10, 20222 yr by Owd Codger

 unsupervised access to Studio A...sorry it's not too clear

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 20222 yr by Owd Codger

try again...best I can do

 

 

Edited September 10, 20222 yr by Owd Codger