Singer trying to put the Motown back in Motown
179 views · Published 24 October 2018 · 2:23 · Indexed 30 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(19 Oct 2018) VOICEOVER: MOTOWN, THE SOUND THAT CHANGED AMERICA, ORIGINATED RIGHT HERE IN DETROIT. BUT THE MUSIC OF THE TEMPTATIONS, SUPREMES AND FOUR TOPS ISN'T HEARD MUCH THESE DAYS IN THE CITY OF ITS BIRTH. AS IT TURNS OUT, MANY HAVE. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joan Belgrave, Singer: ++ partially covered with b-roll ++ "There's no place that's dedicated to that genre. And this is Detroit. People are shocked, honestly." JOAN BELGRAVE IS OUT TO CHANGE THAT. AN ACCOMPLISHED SINGER AND THE WIFE OF THE LATE TRUMPET LEGEND AND MOTOWN PLAYER MARCUS BELGRAVE SAYS SHE'S DEDICATED TO BRINGING MOTOWN BACK TO MOTOWN. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joan Belgrave, Singer: ++ partially covered with b-roll ++ "Everyone knows it's a wonderful thing, but no one is stepping up to the plate to make it happen. So, I'm going to be the one, it looks like, to make it happen. And I'm happy to be that person." FOR INSPIRATION, BELGRAVE LOOKS AT A SIMILARLY MUSIC-RICH METROPOLIS ABOUT A THOUSAND MILES SOUTH. SOUNDBITE: (English) Joan Belgrave, Singer: ++ fully covered with b-roll ++ "In New Orleans, you have Preservation Hall that plays nothing but New Orleans music 365 days a year." UNTIL SHE CAN SET UP SOMETHING MORE PERMANENT, BELGRAVE IS HAPPY TO PLAY MOTOWN-CENTRIC GIGS AT FRIENDLY VENUES LIKE THIS SHOW AT DETROIT'S MAIN LIBRARY WHERE SHE ENLISTED A BUNCH OF TOP AREA MUSICIANS, INCLUDING MARK SCOTT OF THE MIRACLES. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Scott, The Miracles: "I think the thing about Detroit that the venues need to start doing is respecting the legacy." AT LEAST ONE MOTOWN LEGEND HAS TAKEN NOTICE OF WHAT BELGRAVE IS DOING. SOUNDBITE: (English) Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Four Tops: ++ partially covered with b-roll ++ "There's got to be some kind of way that the Motown story and music can stay alive in Detroit. I mean, we were just as important to Detroit as cars." DUKE FAKIR (fuh-KEER'), THE LONE SURVIVING ORIGINAL MEMBER OF THE FOUR TOPS, SAYS A LONG-PLANNED EXPANSION OF THE MOTOWN HISTORICAL MUSEUM, COMPLETE WITH A PERFORMANCE SPACE, COULD DO THE TRICK. SOUNDBITE: (English) Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Four Tops: "That legacy should still live on, and it still should be remembered." AND SEEN AND HEARD. MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, DETROIT. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/88d96193aef2473ced3e2e488d390814
