Tuesday Tunes: The Funk Brothers

I recently watched a documentary called Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, which detailed the largely unknown story of the studio musicians responsible for creating most of Motown's greatest hits. The group of musicians, collectively known as the Funk Brothers, were reported to have turned out more #1 hits than The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined. The significant difference between The Funk Brothers and the aforementioned superstars is that the tireless Motown musicians barely received any recognition for their efforts. They were not allowed to be named on Motown records until 1971, just before Motown left Detroit for sunnier Los Angeles, consequently leaving many of the Funk Brothers unemployed.

Before they were even given credit for their prolific work, they had breathed the musical life into songs such as "My Girl," "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Baby Love," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and "Heat Wave," to name only a few. Much of their music was the foundation for what rock-and-roll became throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, and it inspired what pop music is today. Despite the fact that many of the original Funk Brothers died long before they were given credit for their impressive repertoire, it is refreshing to see that even 40 years later, the music they created is still as important and beloved as the first renditions they churned out in Hitsville, USA, during Motown's heyday.