“Motown 25” - This Day in History – Mar 25th

“Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever,” Creates Musical History and Hidden Tensions

Back in 1983, Motown Records celebrated its 25^th Anniversary by television an event that showcased all of their musical acts which included Diana Ross and the Supremes, The 4 Tops, the Temptations an of course The Jackson 5 featuring Michael Jackson.  The event, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever was filmed in front of a live audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

According to history.com, “Filmed before a rapturous live audience on March 25, 1983, the Motown 25 special is perhaps best remembered for Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean," which brought the house down and introduced much of the world to the "moonwalk." There were other great performances that night, too, but there were also moments that revealed cracks in the joyous-reunion image that Motown chief Berry Gordy sought to portray.”

Bitter disagreements occurred between Diana Ross and the Supremes Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong.  Additionally, two of the Temptations refused to come due to squabbling, Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. 

History.com stated that, “Also missing from the stage that night was a man whose name was then unfamiliar to all but the most obsessive Motown fans, but whose contribution to the label's success was monumental. The late James Jamerson, whose bass guitar formed the foundation of almost every great Motown record of the 1960s, was in the building that night, but as a paying member of the audience seated in the back rows. His own troubles with alcohol abuse played a part in his estrangement from the Motown "family," but so did a decades-long history of what he and fellow members of the Funk Brothers—the Motown backing band—felt was a lack of appreciation and respect for their role in creating the famous Motown sound.”

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-announce-withdrawal-from-iran?catId=3