Motown

I’ve always been a bit of a collector. As a kid, it was baseball, hockey and football cards. And beer cans (empty, of course). And stamps. And bottle caps. And coins. Back then, though, it was mostly just the sports cards.

For the past 30-35 years, however, my collecting itch has transitioned to ticket stubs, sporting event credentials, lapel pins and coffee cups. I thought it might be fun to feature one of my collectibles here periodically and reminisce about its origins. So, here we go.

Motown.

I picked this cup up at a Motown Records souvenir store in Detroit’s Metro Airport years ago. I grew up in Southfield, Mich., which borders Detroit to the northwest. I’ve loved the “Motown sound” for as long as I can remember. The Supremes. The Temptations. The Four Tops. Marvin Gaye. Smokey Robinson. They created some of the most memorable music in history. In fact, here are five of my favorite Motown songs …

“What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell (as well as Diana Ross)

“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” by Jimmy Ruffin

“Reflections” by Diane Ross and the Supremes

“The Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

I’ve lived outside of the Detroit area for about 30 years now, but hearing a Motown song always takes me back to my years growing up there. I was born in 1966, when the old Motown Records was in its prime and when unrest over racial inequality and the Vietnam War were prevalent in American life. Detroit’s ups and downs during my lifetime are well-documented, but I still have fond memories of growing up near there.

Saw my first baseball game at Tiger Stadium when I was six or seven years old. I saw my first Detroit Lions game at Tiger Stadium, as well. A few years later I saw the Lions’ first-ever game at the Pontiac Silverdome (the roof wasn’t even finished). I saw the Red Wings play at Olympia Stadium and then dozens of times at Joe Louis Arena. None of those venues exist anymore.

I was lucky to grow up where I did. My parents cared for my brother and my two sisters and me. We had friends to play with and a relatively safe neighborhood to live in. We could leave our house in the morning to go play ball with friends and not return home until dinner. We played organized youth hockey, baseball and football all over Detroit and its surrounding suburbs. My parents sacrificed to make sure we had educational opportunities available to us.

I’ve lived in Wisconsin now since 1994 and it has been wonderful. The people, the city of Madison and the surrounding areas, my time at the University of Wisconsin – it’s been an awesome place to live and work. But I’ll always carry a bit of Motown with me wherever I go.