Showtime Shares Motown Documentary ‘Hitsville’ Premiere Date And Trailer

“Motown is critical not only to the history of music in America, but also the history of America itself”

Published on

July 18, 2019

Hitsville Making Of Motown Press shot 02 1000

Photo courtesy of Fulwell73

Showtime has announced it will be premiering Berry Gordy’s highly-anticipated documentary, Hitsville: The Making Of Motown on 24 August at 9 pm EST/PST.

Hitsville was directed by award-winning British brothers Gabe and Ben Turner, whose previous projects include Class of 92, I Am Bolt and One Direction: This Is Us, among others. With such a long and illustrious history, the filmmakers decided to focus on the historic label’s creation, starting in 1958, through the trailblazing 60s and until its relocation to Los Angeles in the early 1970s, with Berry Gordy as a guide.

The film also breaks down Gordy’s ingenious assembly-line system for creating Motown’s top talent, keeping all of the songwriting, choreography and recording in-house. Along with hearing from the label’s visionary himself, the story of Motown is also told through new and exclusive interviews with many of its superstar artists and contemporary stars that it inspired, as well as rare performances and behind-the-scenes footage unearthed from Motown’s vaults and Gordy’s personal archives.

“Motown is critical not only to the history of music in America, but also the history of America itself,” said Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “And you’ve never seen this bedrock of the music industry explored and remembered the way that Gabe and Ben Turner do it in Hitsville, with never-before-seen clips and interviews with the key players.”

Even amid the mounting turmoil and racial tension during the burgeoning civil rights movement, Gordy’s post-racial view of America was instrumental to the label’s success and helping the world heal during such divisive times.

“When you saw the Motown label, you know you were going to buy it, whether you knew what is was or not,” says legendary producer Dr Dre in the film.

Hitsville: The Making Of Motown is also the first documentary about the iconic label with Gordy’s participation. Along with sharing an official trailer, Motown Records also announced they’ll be releasing an original motion picture soundtrack from the film, also titled Hitsville: The Making of Motown, which is available for pre-order starting today, 18 July.

The accompanying soundtrack album features the music of the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas and the Jackson 5, among others.

Hitsville: The Making Of Motown was produced for Showtime by executive producers Berry Gordy, Steve Barnett, Marty Bandier, David Blackman, Ethiopia Habtemariam and Michelle Jubelirer.

Hitsville: The Making of Motown can be pre-ordered here. View the full tracklising below.