Did Berry miss another trick?

[mowsville]

Hi all...im watching the docu concert "Summer of Soul" on tv and had a thought that Berry could have put together a concert like this in Detroit and been a trailblazer... he even released Martin Luther King's speeches so thought it would have been a no brainer.

[jsmith]

I agree, he missed out in that respect.
Stax did it in 72; WattStax) & then they started staging big soul shows in Africa -- movies being made of all these events. The New York concert was in 69, but Berry was still grappling with getting involved in politics, which is why he didn't like [[initially, till it was selling big) Marvin's 'What's Going On' project.
BUT BG staging a big open air concert in Detroit [[or LA) for Motown acts in say 1970 would have been a game changer.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

In 1973, Motown released a 2-LP set titled "Save The Children" [[Motown M800-R2) containing live performances by Motown artists Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and The Temptations. There were also performances by non-Motown artists Cannonball Adderley, Jerry Butler, Rev. James Cleveland, Sammy Davis, Jr., Brenda Lee Eager, Roberta Flack, Rev. Jesse Jackson, The Ramsey Lewis Trio, The Main Ingredient, Curtis Mayfield, The O'Jays, The Push Expo Choir, Jackie Verdell, Nancy Wilson, Bill Withers, and Zulema. See photos and tracklist in link below:

"Save The Children" LP Photos & Tracklist:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305073922805?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=2RCNMCi7S6a&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=asMaqN5fTby&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Motown Eddie]

Hi all...im watching the docu concert "Summer of Soul" on tv and had a thought that Berry could have put together a concert like this in Detroit and been a trailblazer... he even released Martin Luther King's speeches so thought it would have been a no brainer.

Yes Indeed; It would've been a great idea for Gordy to have a free summer concert in Detroit. However, I don't think that Berry would've considered doing that since The Detroit Riots of 1967 made such a thing a considerable risk and his mind was focused on moving Motown to L.A. at the time.

[Roger Polhill]

One of the concerts from Summer Of Soul was in fact a Motown Revue starring Blinky, Chuck Jackson,Willie Tyler Lester, David Ruffin and topped by Gladys Knight and the Pips

[Motown Eddie]

On a related note, Motown did release a song, "I Care About Detroit" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, as a radio station exclusive in July 1968. "ICAD" was Motown's way of helping the city cope after The Detroit Riots of the previous year [and the aftermath of the Assignations of Martin Luther King Jr. & Sen. Robert Kennedy]. The track would appear on the limited edition Sterling Ball Benefit LP in 1971 & The Miracles' 35th Anniversary box set in 1994.