Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)

ALL 11/15/2002 (en) Documentary, Music 116 Min
  • Release
    11/15/2002
  • Production
  • Rotten tomato
    69%
  • Original title
    Standing in the Shadows of Motown
  • Original language
    en
  • Production Cost
  • 0.00
    -

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.

  1. Paul Justman

    Director

  2. Story

  3. Editor

  4. Producer



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Casts

  1. Richard 'Pistol' Allen

    Himself

  2. Jack Ashford

    Himself

  3. Bob Babbitt

    Himself

  4. Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

    Himself (archive footage)

  5. Eddie 'Bongo' Brown

    Himself (archive footage)

  6. Bootsy Collins

    Himself

  7. Johnny Griffith

    Himself

  8. Ben Harper

    Himself

  9. Joe Hunter

    Himself

  10. James Jamerson

    Himself (archive footage)

  11. Uriel Jones

    Himself

  12. Montell Jordan

    Himself

  13. Chaka Khan

    Herself

  14. Gerald Levert

    Himself

  15. Joe Messina

    Himself

  16. Meshell Ndegeocello

    Herself

  17. Joan Osborne

    Herself

  18. Rudy Robinson

    Himself

  19. James Jamerson Jr.

    Himself

  20. Paul Riser

    Himself

  21. Andre Braugher

    Narrator

  22. Gary Bosek

    Young Bob Babbitt

Full Cast & Crew

Casts : 22 , Crews : 8

Keyword

Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002) 116 Min

ALL 11/15/2002 (en)
Documentary, Music
  • Release 11/15/2002
  • Production
  • Original title Standing in the Shadows of Motown
  • en
  • Revenue0.00

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.

  1. Paul Justman

    Director

  2. Story

  3. Editor

  4. Producer