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Berry Gordy Biography
Berry Gordy III, also known as Berry Gordy Jr., professionally, is an American songwriter, TV producer, film producer, record executive and record producer. He is the founder of the Motown Record Corporation (1959), a record label and its subsidiaries. It was the most successful black-owned music company in the U.S. as it was the highest-earning African-American business.
Through Motown, Gordy developed the majority of the great rhythm-and-blues (R&B) performers of the 1960s and ’70s, including Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Marvelettes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five. He was said to have masterminded the popular “Motown sound,” a ballad-based blend of traditional black harmony and gospel music with the lively beat of R&B.
Berry Gordy Age
Gordy was born on 28th November 1929 in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He is 88 years old as of 2018.
Berry Gordy Family | Berry Gordy Parents
Gordy was born in Detroit to Berry Gordy II (also called Berry Gordy Sr.), a plastering contractor and Bertha Fuller Gordy, an insurance agent. They died in died in 1978 and 1975 respectively. His father had from Oconee in Washington County, Georgia, to Detroit in 1922 when he learnt of the job opportunities for black people offered by the booming automotive businesses.
The first Berry Gordy was the son of a white plantation owner named James Gordy, in Georgia and his female slave. His half-brother, James, was the grandfather of President Jimmy Carter.
Berry Gordy Siblings
Berry Jr. has had seven siblings that included three brothers and four sisters. He is the seventh child out of eight: the eldest Gordy was Fuller Berry Gordy (1918 – 1991), Esther Gordy Edwards (1920 – 2011), Anna Ruby Gordy Gaye (1922 – 2014), Loucye Gordy Wakefield (1924 – 1965), George Weldon Gordy Sr. (1926 – 2011), Gwen Gordy Fuqua (1927 – 1999) and younger brother Robert Louis Gordy (born in 1931).
Berry Gordy Wife | Berry Gordy Spouse | Berry Gordy Thelma Coleman
Berry has been married and divorced three times. He has eight children from his three marriages. His first wife was Thelma Coleman whom he married in 1953 and they divorced in 1959. Together they have three children; Hazel Joy born in August 24, 1954, Berry IV born in October 1955 and Terry James born in October 1956. Hazel joy had been married to Jermaine Jackson.
In 1960 during spring, he married his second wife Raynoma Mayberry Liles but they divorced in 1964. Their marriage resulted to the birth of one child; Kerry Gordy who was born in June 25, 1959. He got another daughter, Sherry, with Jeana Jackson in May 23 1960?
Gordy’s other son, Kennedy William was born on March 15, 1964 by his then-mistress, Margaret Norton. Kennedy would later become more popularly known as Motown musician Rockwell. He got his record deal without his father’s knowledge to avoid a case of nepotism.
He had an intimate relationship with Diana Ross, a Motown artist, from 1965 to 1970. Their relationship resulted into the birth of their daughter Rhonda Suzanne in August 14, 1971. Rhonda was raised by Robert Ellis Silberstein, her legal father under California family law.
Gordy’s last born is a son born to Nancy Leiviska and known as Stefan Kendal (born in September 3, 1975). He is a DJ, rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer and record producer who is best known by his stage name Redfoo. He is one member of the duo LMFAO with his nephew Skyler Gordy (stage name: Sky Blu). Sky Blu is the grandson of Gordy Jr. and Thelma Coleman through their son Berry IV and his wife, Valerie Robeson.
Berry Gordy Children | Berry Gordy Kids
Gordy III is a father of eight: Hazel Joy, Berry IV, Terry James, Kerry Gordy, Sherry, Kennedy William, Rhonda Suzanne, and Stefan Kendal. His publishing company, Jobete, was named after his three eldest children, Joy, Berry and Terry.
Berry Gordy Son | Berry Gordy IV
Gordy Jr.’s son, Berry Gordy IV is the father of Skyler Gordy also known as Sky Blu, a member of the LMFAO duo while his half-brother (Berry Gordy IV’s) Stefan Kendal Gordy is the other member of LMFAO duo. The two are famously known for their song ‘Party Rock Anthem’ released in 2011.
Berry Gordy and Diana Ross| Diana Ross Daughter
Gordy had an intimate relationship with Motown artist Diana Ross from 1965 to 1970. They had a daughter Rhonda suzanne, who was born in August 14, 1971. He once said that “I had this wonderful relationship that turned into a great love relationship, but I was more interested in making her the biggest star in the world.
Managing her career and developing her career was the greatest joy I had. “Diana’s former lover and the man credited with making her a superstar”. Berry further says they are still the “best of friends”.
Berry Gordy Dead
As hoaxes spread majorly on deaths of celebrities are common on the Internet, the Motown Records founder has also been a victim of such a hoax. A post on Facebook alleged hat he had passed on (on Saturday, November 13, 2018) and it gained quite an amount of likes and condolences comments. He is alive and well as it has been confirmed its a hoax.
Berry Gordy Daughter Hazel Gordy | Daughter
Hazel Gordy is daughter to Berry Gordy and Thelma Coleman. She is an abhorred media personality and a former model. She is also notably recognised as the ex-wife of Jermaine Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson. Her marriage started to show cracks when she discovered her husband cheating with his mistress, Margaret Maldonado. They have a son together. Hazel tried to reconcile their relationship but eventually gave up and filled for divorce in 1988.
Rockwell Berry Gordy
Kennedy William Gordy who is known as Rockwell is the son of Motown founder and CEO Berry Gordy and Margaret Norton who was by-then Gordy ‘s mistress. He was named Kennedy William after John F. Kennedy and William “Smokey” Robinson by his father.
Berry Gordy Sister
Ann Gordy Gaye, elder sister to Berry Gordy was an American businessman composer and songwriter. Ann became a record executive in the mid-to-late 1950s distributing records released on Checker and Gone Records before forming the Anna label with Billy Davis and her other sister Gwen Gordy Fuqua. She later became known as a songwriter for several hits including the Originals’ “Baby, I’m for Real”, and at least two songs on Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album. She was the first wife of Marvin Gaye. Their turbulent marriage later served as an inspiration for Gaye’s album, Here, My Dear.
Berry Gordy Motown
Berry Gordly is the founder of Motown Records. This is an American record company which was founded as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959 and was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960, in Detroit, Michigan. The name a portmanteau of motor and town, has also become a nickname of Detroit. This company has played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned record label that achieved significant crossover success.
Berry Gordy Net Worth
Gordy, founder of Motown Records has an estimated net worth of $345 million.
Berry Gordy Record Label
Berry Gordy House | Berry Gordy Mansion | Berry Gordy Home
The star’s most known house was the Motown mansion in Detroit’s Boston Edison Historic District. It is called the Motown Mansion as Berry Gordy Jr., the founder of Motown Records used to own it. The mansion was sold in the summer of 2017 (August) for $1.65 million. Gordy lived there, so did Diana Ross when they were together and he hosted many Motown stars at the home.
Berry Gordy Jr. Songs
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Berry Gordy Book – To Be Loved
This is an autobiography by the founder of Motown Records in which he humorously with frankness narrates a touching insight into his incredible life and times.
Published: October 1st 1994 by Warner Books (NY)
Original Title: To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown : An Autobiography
Edition Language: English
Other Editions (4): latest being in May 3rd 2013 (eBook)