On The Right Track
Although he wrote a couple of number-one R&B singles, Berry received next to nothing in royalties. The songwriter realized if he wanted to make money, he was going to have to produce his own records for his own label. Berry already discovered one music group on their way to international stardom, The Miracles, but now he had his eyes set on building a whole portfolio of successful artists.
Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy. Photo by Bei / Shutterstock
He just needed his own label first. With the help of Smokey Robinson (founder and frontman of The Miracles at the time), Berry asked his family for a loan to open up his own R&B label, Tamla Records. Berry originally wanted to name the label, Tammy from the hit 1957 romantic comedy, “Tammy and the Bachelor,” but the name was already taken.