New and old voices share Motown sound

'Motown 45' celebrates the music that made the company a legend.
By MIKE DUFFY
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Come and get these Motor City musical memories.
Jimmy Mack, when are you comin' back? Don't know about Jimmy. But Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, who cranked out a magical string of 1960s hits that included "Heat Wave," "Dancing in the Street" and "Jimmy Mack," are comin' back to help spread the mythic Detroit soul vibration again as part of "Motown 45."
It's the latest splashy television celebration of the unforgettable Motown sound, which has happily been in regular rotation on that radio in my brain since I first heard Barrett Strong wail "Money" in 1959 and Smokey and the Miracles shout out "Shop Around" in 1960.
Please, Mr. Postman, look and see, is there a May sweeps TV special just for me? Actually, ABC probably hopes "Motown 45" captures a bit larger audience than one middle-aged, mojo-crazy TV critic when it spins out the sounds of funky founding father Berry Gordy's astonishing Detroit hit machine at 8 tonight on the Alphabet Net.
The two-hour concert special -- hosted by Lionel Richie and Cedric the Entertainer -- was taped April 4 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Celebration of music
"Unlike past Motown anniversary specials, this is not a history lesson of the company, but more of a celebration of the songs," executive producer John F. Hamlin said. "Instead, a constantly rotating pattern of live performances from multiple stages will ensure that the music virtually never stops."
As the hits keep on rolling, the memorable lineup of singers will include Motown greats like the Temptations, the Four Tops and former Supremes Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong along with Martha and the Vandellas.
The Funk Brothers, that gifted collection of aging musicians who served as the legendary Motown band in historic Studio A at Hitsville USA, also will share the spotlight, along with newer Motown artists such as India.Arie and Brian McKnight.
But an eclectic younger generation of non-Motown performers, such as Macy Gray, Nick Lachey, Kelly Rowland and British soul wonder teen Joss Stone, serve up their interpretations of old Motown songs. And the hits include everything from "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" to "Second That Emotion" to "Signed, Sealed and Delivered."
Needless to say, Michael Jackson -- currently entangled in major legal trouble over child-molestation charges -- will not be moonwalking across the stage at "Motown 45." Yo, Cedric! You're a dancing machine. Entertain us with a superfine Cedric moonwalk on the wild side.