Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)

2002-09-11

(US) •

Documentary,

Music

The soul behind the sound.

6.9/10

User

Score

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.

Movie Cast

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Richard 'Pistol' Allen

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Jack Ashford

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Bob Babbitt

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin

Self (archive footage)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Eddie 'Bongo' Brown

Self (archive footage)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Bootsy Collins

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Johnny Griffith

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Ben Harper

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Joe Hunter

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

James Jamerson

Self (archive footage)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Uriel Jones

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Montell Jordan

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Chaka Khan

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Gerald Levert

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Joe Messina

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Meshell Ndegeocello

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Joan Osborne

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Rudy Robinson

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

James Jamerson Jr.

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Paul Riser

Self

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Andre Braugher

Narrator (voice)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Gary Bosek

Young Bob Babbitt