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
Self


Jack Ashford
Self


Bob Babbitt
Self


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


Bootsy Collins
Self
Johnny Griffith
Self


Ben Harper
Self
Joe Hunter
Self


James Jamerson
Self (archive footage)


Uriel Jones
Self


Montell Jordan
Self


Chaka Khan
Self


Gerald Levert
Self


Joe Messina
Self


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


Andre Braugher
Narrator (voice)


Gary Bosek
Young Bob Babbitt
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