U-M symposium tied to Motown's 50th anniversary

[Blue_Tires]

You've had a taste of Motown glamour. Now get ready for a little Motown class.

In what is likely the biggest-ever event of its kind, the University of Michigan is to hold a two-day Motown symposium later this month featuring more than 40 national scholars, specialists and musicians.

"Michigan Celebrates Motown: The Symposium" is to be presented Feb. 18-19 by the university's music school, African-American studies center and other departments.

Topics will range from the juicy ("Confronting the Myths of Motown") to the esoteric (the racial implications of the old California raisins ad campaign), with group panels, video presentations, music performances and a keynote address by noted author Craig Werner.

A year in the making, the conference was prompted by the Detroit-born label's golden anniversary.

"We felt like the university should do something to mark the occasion," said associate professor of musicology Mark Clague, who helped organize the event.

"Motown has had such an incredible impact worldwide, and we figured there was no better place to continue that conversation. As scholars, we wanted to explore that history and dig into the making of the mythology."

http://www.freep.com/article/20100204/ENT04/2040309/1035/Ent/U-M-symposium-tied-to-Motowns-50th-anniversary