Berry Gordy Jr. (Getty Images)
Hell-bent on preserving his legacy, legendary Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. is developing a Broadway musical based on his life to set the record straight on the inception of the iconic label.
Sources say Gordy has been quietly working with former Universal Music CEO Doug Morris and “Rent” producer Kevin McCollum on the autobiographical story, which will be set against the backdrop of the 1960s civil rights movement and feature a score of Motown classics.
We hear Gordy, 81, has a $100 million budget in sight. “Berry’s been wanting to do this for a long time. He’s got the money and investors lined up,” a source said. “He’s trying to involve Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson.” The show’s press agent, Adrian Bryan-Brown,said there’s no timetable for the production yet.
“This is Berry’s chance to set the record straight,” a source said, referring to some of the darker tales of his past.
Sources say Gordy has also sought to block attempts to produce a Marvin Gaye biopic, fearing it might depict him in a negative light. Directors F. Gary Gray and Cameron Crowe called it “impossible” last month to license Gaye’s music for the soundtrack and bowed out of trying to tell his story. British director Julien Temple has taken the reins.
Gordy owns the rights to most of the Motown catalogs. Gaye and Gordy had a troubled relationship and fought over Gaye’s hit track, “What’s Going On,” which Gordy said was “the worst record I ever heard.”
Gaye married Gordy’s older sister, Anna Gordy Gaye, and died at 44 in 1984, shot dead by his own father.
“He [Gordy] basically owns the rights to the Marvin Gaye story,” another source said. “And he’s been quietly blocking the scripts and music because he doesn’t want his name dragged through the mud.”
Speaking for Gordy, Bryan-Brown told us, “All licensing of anything Motown has to go through EMI. Mr. Gordy is unaware of any projects being blocked.”