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Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Documentary

Music

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.

Date: 11/15/2002
Rating: 6.9
Cast: Richard 'Pistol' Allen, Jack Ashford, Bob Babbitt, Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin, Eddie 'Bongo' Brown, Bootsy Collins, Johnny Griffith, Ben Harper, Joe Hunter, James Jamerson, Uriel Jones, Montell Jordan, Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Joe Messina, Meshell Ndegeocello, Joan Osborne, Rudy Robinson, James Jamerson Jr., Paul Riser, Andre Braugher, Gary Bosek

Richard 'Pistol' Allen

Jack Ashford as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Jack Ashford

Bob Babbitt as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Bob Babbitt

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin as Himself (archive footage) in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown

Bootsy Collins as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Bootsy Collins

Johnny Griffith

Ben Harper as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Ben Harper

Joe Hunter

James Jamerson as Himself (archive footage) in Standing in the Shadows of Motown James Jamerson

Uriel Jones as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Uriel Jones

Montell Jordan as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Montell Jordan

Chaka Khan as Herself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Chaka Khan

Gerald Levert as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Gerald Levert

Joe Messina as Himself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Joe Messina

Meshell Ndegeocello as Herself in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Meshell Ndegeocello

Joan Osborne

Rudy Robinson

James Jamerson Jr.

Paul Riser

Andre Braugher as Narrator in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Andre Braugher

Gary Bosek as Young Bob Babbitt in Standing in the Shadows of Motown Gary Bosek

Sources

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