Editor’s note: This editorial was written by Playboy Club model Griffin Maria.
My home state of Michigan has the distinct honor of being one of those places in our country where you can point to specific things that define American life. After all, we’re home to the Great Lakes, Mackinac Island Fudge, Vernor’s Ginger Ale, the first outdoor shopping mall, and Henry Ford. Although it will always be tied to the automobile industry, the best export coming out of the Big D doesn’t roll on four wheels. It dances. It sings. It grooves, baby.
Long before 8 Mile became synonymous with weak knees and mom’s spaghetti, Motown was cranking out hits that would reshape the landscape of American music. Unforgettable names like Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, the Supremes, Lionel Richie, the Temptations, The Jackson 5 (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg), are forever tied to the legacy of Motown, and their influence on the music scene can still be heard today.
Although I had visited Motown on a field trip as a kid, I’d always wanted to come back and take it all in through a fresh lens. Seeing the row of buildings that gave rise to this genre, it’s incredible how so much came from this one small corner of Detroit. Such humble beginnings for something that would have such a sweeping effect on music and culture.
I took the guided tour and listened to incredible stories with star-studded names. The original recording studio is still there, preserved like something out of a time capsule. There’s even an old candy machine (complete with candy bars from the ‘70s) where dimes were once left for a young Stevie Wonder to purchase his favorite Baby Ruth bars. Vintage equipment still lingers, drum kits and guitars are tucked into corners, and the room is dominated by a beautiful grand piano which was restored by Paul McCartney several years ago.
The coolest part of the tour had to be singing and dancing to “My Girl,” right there in the very place where it was originally recorded. Our voices lifted and I sang my heart out, feeling inspired and momentarily connected to the rich history around me. Unfortunately, I’m no singer, and in retrospect I’m a little embarrassed that the echo of my voice will be left to linger with so many others with actual talent. I left a dime on the candy machine on my way out as both a token of respect and an apology.
And to add to the experience, Motown, and especially its founder, Berry Gordy, has a long history with Playboy. Since Playboy’s inception in 1953, the magazine has always been a place where the greatest movers and shakers are celebrated. Music was a huge part of this, and culturally, Playboy played a big role in showcasing talent and paving the way for acceptance, equality, and new societal norms. In fact, Gordy had his own home just four miles away from the infamous Playboy mansion, where he wound up spending a lot of time hanging out with other legendary icons of the entertainment world.
Visiting a place like Motown, being able to walk in that space, to soak up the scenery and surround yourself with the music, is a vital connection to American history. Knowing that Playboy was, in its own way connected to all of this, brought me even closer, and being able to share that experience here is very special to me.
If you’re visiting the Big D, take some time to “Stop! In the Name of Love” and visit Motown. Maybe it’s “Just My Imagination,” but “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” that the tour is well worth the “Money,” and afterward you might even find yourself “Dancing in the Streets.”
Sorry, when it comes to a good play on words, I guess I “Can’t Help Myself.”
Check out my Playboy Club page for more photos from the trip!
Griffin Maria is on The Playboy Club. Talk to her here.
