In 1959, twenty-nine-year-old Berry Gordy, who had already given up on his dream to be a champion boxer, borrowed eight hundred dollars from his family and started a record company. A run-down bungalow sandwiched between a funeral home and a beauty shop in a poor Detroit neighborhood served as his headquarters. The building s entrance was adorned with a large sign that improbably boasted Hitsville U.S.A. The kitchen served as the control room, the garage became the two-track studio, the living room was reserved for bookkeeping, and sales were handled in the dining room. Soon word spread that any youngster with a streak of talent should visit the only record label that Detroit had seen in years. The company s name was Motown.brMotown cuts through decades of unsubstantiated rumors and speculation to tell the true behind-the-scenes narrative of America s most exciting musical dynasty. It follows the company and its amazing roster of stars from the tumultuous growth years in Detroit, to th