Jobete Music, Motown Records and "The Sound of Young America" in the Dorothy Starr Collection

Come to the Fourth Floor Music Center at the Main Library to see a small display of sheet music covers from the Dorothy Starr Collection featuring songs published by Jobete Music.

Jobete Music was the publishing arm of Berry Gordy's Motown-Tamla record label. Gordy himself began his career as a songwriter and assembled a crew of in-house songwriters including William "Smokey" Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Norman Whitfield, Brian and Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, (Nicholas) Ashford and (Valerie) Simpson. Many artists have performed covers of songs from the Motown sound. This music has become a part of the Great American Songbook.

Gordy formed Jobete Music in 1959. He sold 50 percent of it for $132 million in 1997. The company's name is an abbreviation of the first two letters of his three eldest's children's names (Joy, Berry and Terry).

 
Sheet Music Featured In The Display

Uptight (Everything's alright) / words and music by Henry Cosby, Silvia Moy and Stevie Wonder (Jobete Music Co., Inc., 1966).

Until you come back to me (That's what I'm gonna do) / words and music by Stevie Wonder, Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax (Jobete Music Co., Inc., 1973).

Three times a lady / words and music by Lionel Richie (Jobete Music Co., Inc., 1978).

My girl / words and music by William Robinson and Ronald White (Jobete Music Co. Inc., 1965).
Here I go again / words and music by William Robinson, Al Cleveland, Terry Johnson and Warren Moore (Jobete Music Company Inc., 1969).

My guy / words and music by William Robinson (Jobete Music Company, Inc., 1964).
I heard it through the grapevine / words and music by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong (Jobete Music Co., Inc., 1967).

You're a wonderful one / words and music by Eddie Holland, Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier (Jobete Music Company, Inc., 1964).

The happening / music by Frank De Vol (Jobete Music Co., 1967).

I love the way you love / words and music by Berry Gordy, Jr. and Mikaljohn (Jobete Music Co., 1960).