Motown

The Motown style of music came of out Detroit (colloquially know as Motor Town due of the large auto manufacturing industry) in the 1960 out of the studio founded and run by Berry Gordy Jr.  While there are numerous drummers heard across Motown’s record catalogue, three Detroit-based drummers in particular tracked the majority of the label’s hits: William “Benny” Benjamin, Richard “Pistol” Allen, and Uriel Jones.

Benny Benjamin can be heard on tunes such as Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want),” The Temptations’ “My Girl,” Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” as well as many others.

Some notable hits featuring Allen’s drumming include “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” by the Four Tops, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye, and “Baby Love” by The Supremes.

You’ve undoubtedly heard his drumming before on songs such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (both versions - by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967, and Diana Ross in 1970), “Ain’t That Peculiar” by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life,” and “Cloud Nine” by the Temptations.

For more information on the Funk Brothers and Motown click here