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poster movie Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)

PG

2002-09-11

  • Documentary
  • Music

1h 56m

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.

  • Walter DallasWriter
  • Alan SlutskyNovel
  • Ntozake ShangeWriter
  • Paul JustmanDirector

StatusReleased

Original LanguageEnglish

Original titleStanding in the Shadows of Motown

Budget$0.00

Revenue$0.00

Casts

  • Richard 'Pistol' Allen

    Himself

  • Profile Jack Ashford with character Himself

    Jack Ashford

    Himself

  • Profile Bob Babbitt with character Himself

    Bob Babbitt

    Himself

  • Profile Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin with character Himself (archive footage)

    Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

    Himself (archive footage)

  • Eddie 'Bongo' Brown

    Himself (archive footage)

  • Profile Bootsy Collins with character Himself

    Bootsy Collins

    Himself

  • Johnny Griffith

    Himself

  • Profile Ben Harper with character Himself

    Ben Harper

    Himself

  • Joe Hunter

    Himself

  • Profile James Jamerson with character Himself (archive footage)

    James Jamerson

    Himself (archive footage)

  • Profile Uriel Jones with character Himself

    Uriel Jones

    Himself

  • Profile Montell Jordan with character Himself

    Montell Jordan

    Himself

  • Profile Chaka Khan with character Herself

    Chaka Khan

    Herself

  • Profile Gerald Levert with character Himself

    Gerald Levert

    Himself

  • Profile Joe Messina with character Himself

    Joe Messina

    Himself

  • Profile Meshell Ndegeocello with character Herself

    Meshell Ndegeocello

    Herself

  • Joan Osborne

    Herself

  • Rudy Robinson

    Himself

  • James Jamerson Jr.

    Himself

  • Paul Riser

    Himself

  • Profile Andre Braugher with character Narrator

    Andre Braugher

    Narrator

  • Profile Gary Bosek with character Young Bob Babbitt

    Gary Bosek

    Young Bob Babbitt