what if Motown moved to Florida instead of LA

[blackguy69]

Since Berry was considering moving the company to Florida before deciding on California, I've always wondered if he had chosen Florida would the artist have followed him. Would they have lasted. ? Any thoughts

[Roberta75]

Since Berry was considering moving the company to Florida before deciding on California, I've always wondered if he had chosen Florida would the artist have followed him. Would they have lasted. ? Any thoughts

Thank the good Lord he didnt move to the bigoted state of florida.

Roberta

[bradsupremes]

Florida??? Where on earth did you hear Gordy was thinking of moving Motown to Florida?

[blackguy69]

It was in one of the Motown books give me a moment to remember which one
but I did remember reading it

[midnightman]

Well on that notion, I am GLAD they moved to California! I can't imagine the Jackson 5 having to be forced to move to Florida. Joseph would've made up with Gordon Keith and signed his boys to Atlantic like the original plan had been!

[blackguy69]

Motown by Gerald Posner. Not sure how true if it was in consideration or not.

[robb_k]

What if Motown moved to Florida instead of LA ?


I'd never have worked for Motown if they had moved to Florida. I've been all over The World but yet have never been to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina or North Carolina.

So, I'm glad they moved to L.A. Now that I think of it, I guess I should have approached the Dutch office as well, during the 1970s and 1980s.

[StuBass1]

Makes no sense at all...Sounds like an "urban legend"...I could see Berry moving himself to Florida if he sold the company, but he already had recording connections in L.A...L.A. was the entertainment capital of the world...and his desire to break into films could only occur in L.A...On the other hand...he could have signed Gloria Estefan...

[vgalindo]

Makes no sense at all...Sounds like an "urban legend"...I could see Berry moving himself to Florida if he sold the company, but he already had recording connections in L.A...L.A. was the entertainment capital of the world...and his desire to break into films could only occur in L.A...On the other hand...he could have signed Gloria Estefan...

So true Florida makes no since. It was always said he moved to California because of TV and the movies. Why leave Detroit for Florida?

[motony]

never heard that before BUT I sure would have been a Motown employee until I jumped ship & worked for Mary Wells, LOL. Mary & Cecil did live in Ft. Lauderdale for awhile in early 70's.

[edafan]

If they moved to Florida,
we would have had the Four Mangoes singing Where's My False Teeth Maggie;
instead of Jr Walker we would have had Sr. Walker
instead of the Temptations, we would have had Can't remember what used to tempt me


edafan

[johnny_raven]

And The Marvelettes would have been porters at Disney World!

[motony]

Florida sure isn't a bigoted state. Did ya'll ever hear of Tone Distrbutors, TK Productions, artists like Betty Wright,Clarence Reid, George & Gwen McRae, Faith Hope & Charity[[from Tampa),KC & the Sunshine Band, Jackie Moore [[Jacksonville).Florida had a lot goin on in Soul Music by late 60's early 70's. The Marvelettes had already disbanded by the time Disney World opened.

[johnny_raven]

Sorry, motony, I was making a joke.

Vermettya Royster of Sisters Love/Clara Ward Singers was also from Jacksonville.

Christmas of 1970, my parents, sister and I went to Hollywood, Florida for vacation. We brought along our [[what they called at the time) "mother's helper". One day, Brenda took me and my sister to the beach [[The beach was a part of the hotel resort). When my parents returned from wherever they went, there was a message at the front desk for my dad. They told him that if our "colored helper" was taking the kids down to the beach, then she should be in proper attire and not a bathing suit. With that, my dad went upstairs, packed our stuff and we went to another [[this time more friendly) hotel. I should add that Brenda was not only a "mother's helper" but also a family friend ... and also a knock-out!

Of course, this was 45 years ago and things have improved since - but not enough for my blood.

[motony]

wow, Johnny that is crazy for 1970 & especially down in Hollywood as South Florida has always been more "liberal" or so we thought.I lived in Hollywood in early 60's when I first got in to Rock N Roll & ofcourse Motown.

[stingbeelee]

I would not reference Posner's book about anything Motown; so many people have discredited it. Maxine Powell and Martha Reeves ripped him up one side and down the other when he came to Detroit for his publication tour.

[johnny_raven]

It's more liberal in South Florida, as long as you were where you were supposed to be. The following year, my parents bought a vacation condo in the Palm-Aire section of Pompano Beach. I never saw anyone who lived there who wasn't Jewish. That wasn't a bad thing, since my family was Jewish - and I don't even think I noticed that fact until I was old enough. However, I found myself with practically nothing to do because we were surrounded by retirees. Not fun for a kid [[although they used to give me sips of their alcohol, so it wasn't all bad!)

[soulster]

Well, Motown's music would have turned out very different. It definitely would have had a more down-home groove. Atlantic Records had a big presence down there, as did the afro-Latino Caribbean sound.

[Mark Desjardines]

All I can say about Florida is this. Being French Canadian, it is well know as a haven for Quebecois retirees. I had my first chance to visit Ft. Lauderdale and Miami last spring for three weeks and wasn't as taken as I've been during my visits to Los Angeles. The proof in the pudding was celebrating my birthday last February by purchasing tickets to see Motown The Musical in Ft. Lauderdale. A fantastic theatre, a great cast, very expensive tickets and the audience seemed to sit on their hands. Three months later in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, tickers way more reasonable, and the same cast. The performance was like a whole new play because of the audience energy and participation. The TK Sound aside, give me the L.A. funk anyway! Berry made the wise choice, though Detroit suffered for his decision to move.

[arr&bee]

Maybe berry buys disneyworld?

[Bluebrock]

Thank the good Lord he didnt move to the bigoted state of florida.

Roberta

How so Roberta if you don't mind my asking?