Although his actual birthday is Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day), a host of family and friends gathered on Sunday, Nov. 24, to celebrate and honor the music icon, the trailblazer, the visionary, Berry Gordy, founder of Motown, the company that changed the music world.
Gordy arrived at Wolfgang Puck’s Beverly Hills restaurant, Spago, and then danced his way into the room making you wonder if he was really turning 95 years old. He was greeted by his CEO, Carol Perrin, well-wishers and all eight of his children, Hazel, Berry IV, Terry, Kerry, Kennedy (aka Rockwell), Sherry, Rhonda and Stefan (aka Redfoo of LMFAO), along with their respective spouses or companions, numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
As Gordy danced for over 30 minutes to one of his favorite songs, “In Da Club” by 50 Cent, he was greeted by his friend of 68 years, Smokey Robinson and his wife, Frances; Otis Williams and Ron Tyson of the Temptations, and Shelly Berger aka Bergman, who is a Motown alumni and Temptations’ manager; Debbie Allen and her husband, L.A. Lakers great, Norman Nixon; Tracee Ellis Ross and Chico Ross in honor of their mother and sister, respectively; the Honorable Nancy Pelosi and husband, Paul; Congresswoman Maxine Waters; Motown alumni and songwriter/producers, brothers Edward and Brian Holland, Mickey Stevenson, Janie Bradford, Claudette Robinson, an original member of the Miracles, and her children; Stevie Wonder, Suzanne de Passe, Rebecca Jiles Davidson, Gordy’s first secretary, and her husband; Motown artist Thelma Houston; George & Jolene Schlatter, Billy Dee Williams; Jon Platt, chairman and CEO, Sony Music Publishing, and his wife, Angie; the Rev. Jesse Jackson, accompanied by his daughter, Ashley, and Judge Greg Mathis; “Motown the Musical” co-producer and director, Kevin McCollum and Charles Randolph Wright; Freda and Scherrie Payne, L.A. Sentinel Executive Publisher Danny Bakewell, Sr. and his wife, Aline; attorney Robert Shapiro and his wife, Linell; and music industry execs, Michael Ostin and Sylvia Rhone.
After an hour of cocktails and hors’d’ouvres, the party moved to the main dining area where guests were welcomed by Gordy’s CEO and party committee head, Carol Perrin – “Welcome, welcome to the 95th birthday celebration of the one and only, Mr. Berry Gordy. Tonight, it’s our turn to show you just how deeply you are loved and appreciated.”
Gordy’s eldest niece and former Motown VP, Iris Gordy, blessed the food as she lauded her Uncle Berry.
Guests at Spago dined on Loup De Mer, Roasted Jidori Chicken, Braised Short Ribs, and of course, Vegan dishes. Spago owner and friends of Gordy, Wolfgang Puck and wife, Gelila, were also in attendance.
Singers and musicians from a group called, Downbeat, got the party going with many of the songs penned by Berry Gordy, including “To Be Loved” and “Lonely Teardrops” hits on Jackie Wilson, a jazzy version of Marvin Gaye’s hit, “Try It Baby” and numerous other songs written by Gordy and a number of the songwriters in attendance.
Between the four food courses served, celebrants danced and sang along with the band to the Motown Sound and a birthday video tribute from Gordy’s grandniece, Robin Terry, chairwoman of the Motown Museum, with her staff, was shown.
As Gordy staffer Tony Green rolled out a specially designed birthday cake made in the image of Hitsville-where it all started from, Thelma Houston sang a rousing version of “Happy Birthday” as Gordy blew out the candles. Thelma then sang her rousing #1, Grammy-winning hit, “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” to Gordy, which got him dancing again.
With the crowd all surrounding him, Gordy said, “This is love! This is amazing! I can’t wait until I get to be 100 – unfortunately for me though, most of you all may not be here!” The crowd erupted in laughter.
“I feel so special. Thank you all. I hate to act like I feel because I feel so great that you all came out. I knew I was loved, but this is love! This is wonderful,” Gordy exclaimed.
“I love you all – in different ways – but tonight is just an incredible, incredible night for me. Thank you all so much.”
Smokey Robinson then serenaded his friend with “Berry’s Theme,” a tribute song written just for Gordy. Filled with emotion, the two bearhugged as old friends do. Gordy told the crowd, “This is very sentimental because for someone to have a best friend in this world who is REALLY a best friend like Smokey Robinson who I’ve known for some time. I am so grateful.”
Stevie Wonder made his way to the center of the room, where he said, “How I got to Motown was a miracle only because of this man. It is through him that many great things have happened for so many people, African Americans and those of other ethnicities.
“We’re not done, and we have to celebrate this man while he’s here, not after he’s gone, so we need to tell stories about Berry Gordy. Never wanting him to go, we want him to be here forever, and the way we can keep him forever is to talk about him on and on and on and talk about how great Berry is and how many things he did, not for just us as a culture, but for everybody,” declared Wonder.
“We have to move to make things happen. Berry, I love you, you know that. I respect you and you know that. Happy Birthday, Berry!”
And of course, he had to sing HIS popular “Happy Birthday,” the song he wrote to commemorate the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, for which he was instrumental in getting established.
Wonder made his way to the piano and sang, “Mr. Gordy, you are the sunshine of our lives, that’s why we’ll always be around. You are the apple of our eyes, forever you’ll stay in our hearts.”
As guests were served cake, Smokey Robinson gave the champagne toast to his dear friend, telling everyone, “You all know how I feel about this man because he’s a life changer. He changed the life of so many of us here and so many others who are not here tonight. He changed the world with music, with his dream. His dream became a dream that made so many of our dreams come true as I said in this song. And I cannot imagine not knowing him.
“I tell everybody that the day that I met him was a God day for me because he changed my life and he continues to change my life because he’s my best friend, and I know I can go to him with any problem that I may have or anything that’s bothering me,” Robinson said.
“So tonight, I’m glad that all of you are here and we’re going to have a toast to the man who changed everything, changed lives, changed the world. Berry Gordy, I love you, man. Happy birthday and many more. I’m gonna be here for your next 95 years!”
Well wishes from other party goers included:
Suzanne de Passe (Motown alumni – 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee)
“Berry, so many people here tonight have been transformed, have been made, have been allowed to succeed because you not only gave me, but you gave so many of them the opportunity to become everything that they had the potential to be, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Jon Platt – Chairman/CEO, Sony Music Publishing – “Mr. Gordy, thank you for everything you’ve done for me, all the words of encouragement, and it’s an honor to represent your legacy at Sony Music Publishing, but it’s even more of an honor to call you friend and a brother. I love you, man!”
Otis Williams (Temptations) – “Berry, when you got me, I was 19 years old. I signed with Motown in 1961, and I love you because you’ve always believed in me and the Temps. So, all I can say is my love for you is endless! Happy Birthday!”
Ron Tyson (Temptations) – “Berry, happy 95th, hope you have 95 more!”
Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. – Chairman/Executive Publisher Los Angeles Sentinel – “Berry, words can never express the tremendous impact that you have had on the world. Your friendship means so much to Aline & I. But what people don’t know is that you have also been a loyal and unwavering leader and advocate for those less fortunate. Often never receiving nor wanting any recognition or fanfare. So, on behalf of me and my family as well as the thousands of lives you have touched over the years, I simply want to say Thank You & Happy, Happy Birthday.”
Rhonda Ross Kendrick (daughter & family) –“ 95 years of LOVE!!!! What an incredible life so well-lived!!! Thank you for everything!!! We love you, Dad! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Ashley Jackson (on behalf of Rev. Jesse Jackson) –“ Happy birthday! We thank you so much for all you’ve done for the community, for the world and for our family. This is such a wonderful day and way to celebrate you, so Happy Birthday.”
Dancing continued as the celebration came to a close with CEO Carol Perrin and VP Brenda Boyce introducing Mr. Gordy’s children, thanking the guests, especially those who flew in from out of town, acknowledging the hard work of the other party committee members (Theresa Wood, Antoine Greene, Mario Escobar, Angelo Fernando), Spago hospitality crew, the band and singers.
A man of vision, drive, talent and determination, Berry Gordy became a boxer, songwriter, producer, director, entrepreneur, and founded Motown – the hit-making enterprise born in Detroit, Michigan. He discovered and nurtured the careers of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many other music greats and is responsible for the “Motown Sound” that reached out across a racially divided, politically and socially charged country, to transform popular music.
Beginning way back in 1967, Berry Gordy started the Gordy Foundation, one of the earliest family foundations created by an African-American, to give college scholarships to those in underserved areas of Detroit.
In honor of his parents, Gordy established the Bertha and Berry Gordy, Sr. Perpetual Endowed Scholarship Fund at UCLA Medical School in 1982 to provide scholarships to disadvantaged Black students who show promise and potential for success in the medical field.
His interest in developing young people has never waned as he continued his giving by funding the Motown Museum, including its numerous programs to enrich children in the arts, granted many scholarships and funded numerous community and philanthropic activities through the Berry Gordy Foundation for Truth & Justice.In memory of his sister, a talented producer, songwriter, entrepreneur and pioneering music executive, Gordy created the Gwendolyn B. Gordy Fuqua Fund in 2000, administered by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation which provides financial assistance of a charitable nature to Motown artists and Motown producers of the ‘60’s and 70’s.
In 2021, through his Berry Gordy Foundation For Truth and Justice, he funded the Berry Gordy Clinical Research Laboratory at St. John’s Health Center to address the disparities in health care, especially in the Black community.
Always the teacher, Gordy was thrilled this year to coordinate with UCLA and establish the Berry Gordy Music Industry Center, which will include outreach into primarily black and brown communities in LA and provide opportunities for students at UCLA to learn and prepare for careers in the music industry.
Gordy credits his longevity to eating healthy food, exercising, great doctors, a great staff who takes care of him… and counting his many blessing.
95 Years of Love!
