The Temptations, Ne-Yo, and Big Sean to Perform at Motown Museum Celebration

The three-day event commemorates the Detroit record label’s 60th anniversary
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Motown Museum
Motown Museum photograph courtesy of Istock/sisoje

From a nationally televised musical tribute at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards to exhibits that spotlight Berry Gordy’s musical empire, and various other events and product releases related to the Detroit record label’s storied history, 2019 has been a momentous year for Motown, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. And while locals could undoubtedly keep the party going for years to come, the celebration will, partly, come to a close this September, when the Motown Museum welcomes legendary artists of the record label as well as R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and rapper Big Sean to metro Detroit for the Motown 60 Weekend.

“Our Motown 60 Weekend is the culmination of a year-long celebration all happening right here in Detroit,” says Robin Terry, museum chairwoman and CEO. “Most importantly we will honor and celebrate Motown’s iconic visionary founder Berry Gordy in Detroit where this story was born.”

Hitsville Honors: Celebrating Berry Gordy & 60 Years of Motown will be held on Sept. 22 at Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Marjorie J. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. The Temptations, Four Tops, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and Mary Wilson will perform classic Motown hits. Big Sean and Ne-Yo, who is signed to Motown, will also perform. Tickets for the tribute concert go on sale Aug. 1 and can be purchased at motownmuseum.com. Tickets range from $50 to $1,000 and include various pre- and post-concert opportunities.

Other major events include the Motown Gospel Concert and the Soul in One Celebrity Golf Classic. The gospel concert takes place on Sept. 21 at the Detroit World Outreach church in Redford. The event will feature performances by Grammy-winning artist Regina Belle, Stella Award-winning gospel group Tye Tribbet & G.A, singer Tasha Page-Lockhart, and singer Kierra “Kikki” Sheard. Additionally, the concert will include a 125-person choir, with members from more than 70 local faith-based groups. Tickets for the free event are available on a first come first served basis beginning Aug. 28.

Tickets to the Soul in One Celebrity Golf Classic includes a gourmet lunch and dinner as well as a chance to golf with Motown alumni and celebrities. The event will be held on Sep. 23 at the Tam-O-Shanter Country Club in West Bloomfield Township. Tickets for the classic start at $350. Contact Paul Barker, director of development and community activation for the museum, at 313-875-2224 for more information.

“We invite all Motown fans to join us as we celebrate the musical and cultural impact of this incredible legacy,” Terry says. “It’s been such an important year for us to share Motown history and celebrate this milestone in a big way.”


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