Standing in the Shadows of Motown
11/09/2002
2h

In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company. Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together, the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.
Cast
Richard 'Pistol' Allen
Himself


Jack Ashford
Himself


Bob Babbitt
Himself


Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin
Himself (archive footage)
Eddie 'Bongo' Brown
Himself (archive footage)


Bootsy Collins
Himself
Johnny Griffith
Himself


Ben Harper
Himself
Joe Hunter
Himself


James Jamerson
Himself (archive footage)


Uriel Jones
Himself


Montell Jordan
Himself


Chaka Khan
Herself


Gerald Levert
Himself


Joe Messina
Himself


Meshell Ndegeocello
Herself
Joan Osborne
Herself
Rudy Robinson
Himself
James Jamerson Jr.
Himself
Paul Riser
Himself


Andre Braugher
Narrator


Gary Bosek
Young Bob Babbitt
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