This Memorial Day weekend Miller Outdoor Theatre, once again presents Dancin' In the Street Motown and More Review. The park theatre says we should, "Be thrilled this Memorial Day weekend by
the sounds of classic Motown hits, featuring an ensemble of soul singers, funky dancers, and the Bacement Soul Orchestra!"
Miller has been presenting this R&B music showcase for over 20-years. Perhaps it's because the music label Motown had so many crossover artists. Their music may have started on R&B radio but quickly crossed over to pop stations (Top 40 radio).
Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American–owned label that achieved significant crossover success.
If it were not for Motown, there would not be a Steve Wonder, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson or the late Michael Jackson or Aretha Franklin, at least not how we know them today.
It was Berry Gordy, the entrepreneur, businessman and music creator (writer), who assembled all of this from a Detroit neighborhood. Gordy not only put together performers, but music writers, producers and choreographers. He also groomed his stable of performers on how to act in a world that many did not like them but enjoyed their music.
As a songwriter Gordy composed or co-composed several hits including Lonely Teardrops, Shop Around and Do You Love Me, all of which topped the US R&B charts. As part of The Motown Corporation Gordy wrote several hit songs for The Jackson 5, including I Want You Back and ABC.
In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as the Motown Sound, a style of soul music with a distinct pop influence. Motown was the most successful record label of soul music, with a net worth totaling $61 million. During the 
1960s, Motown achieved spectacular success for a small label: 79 records in the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969. Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967 and the loss of key songwriting/production team Holland-Dozier-Holland the same year overpay disputes, Gordy began relocating Motown to Los Angeles, California. The move was completed in 1972, and Motown later expanded into film and television production, remaining an independent company until 1994, when it was sold to PolyGram before being sold again to MCA Records' successor Universal Music Group when it acquired PolyGram in 1999.
In 2018, Motown was inducted into Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame class at the Charles H. Wright Museum, and Motown legend Martha Reeves received the award for the label.
Enjoy this Miller Outdoor Theatre free ticketed event this weekend that has a very deep history in America's music making.