*When your father’s name is Berry Gordy, founder and chief architect of the storied Motown Records and its famous Motown Sound, any music/entertainment venture by one of his offsprings better be far north of excellent.
Sherry Gordy, one of Berry’s three daughters, knows this, because, she is raising a lot of eyebrows in Las Vegas these days with her high-octane, electrifying brand of entertaining productions under the auspices of “Sherry Gordy Presents: Take The Stage, an Open Mic Experience – Where You are the Star.”
Inspired by the endless sounds of Motown, Gordy presents an exhilarating talent showcase that includes singing and music performances and open mic opportunities, featuring some of the world’s best known recording artists, as well as new and upcoming artists who are looking to be discovered. The house band is the “Take The Stage All-Stars.”
The fun comes to life every Thursday night at Club Tequila Showroom, inside the Fiesta Rancho Hotel & Casino, located at 2400 Rancho Dr. in North Las Vegas, the city which has long been called the entertainment capital of the world.
Here’s what Gordy told EURweb’s Lee Bailey about her weekly event and the opportunities it affords new and upcoming artists:
“They never know when such a performance could launch a promising and dreamed of career in music, because performances are in front of music royalty with surprise guest appearances.”
Since unveiling “Take The Stage” about 20 months ago, some of the many recording artists to appear at the 700-seat venue have included The Dramatics, Ray, Goodman & Brown (The Moments), Keith Washington, The Stylistics, Lakeside, and many more. Gordy recently presented a birthday celebration (April 2) to honor the late, great singing icon, Marvin Gaye, who she calls Uncle Marvin. Gaye was once married to Sherry’s Aunt, Anna Gordy Gaye.
“If my Uncle Marvin were still alive, he would have been 76,” said Gordy.
Gordy’s first venture into presenting and promoting live shows was in the early 2000s, when she successfully presented the weekly, “Tickle Me Tuesdays Comedy Jam,” at the Blue Note Showroom on the Vegas Strip. She would later assist in producing and promoting, The Las Vegas Soul Festival, which featured such recording artists as Cameo, Con Funk Shun, Lenny Williams and more to benefit the Lazarex Cancer Foundation.
“It was so exciting,” said Gordy. “It (Tickle Me Tuesday) was my first jump into presenting shows. I produced the shows and brought in all the comedians from BET’s Comic View and Def Comedy Jam and now they are all big stars, which is really cool.”
Although she grew up in a famous music and entertainment family, Gordy, at an early age, sought to have her own level of independence. At 15, she worked part-time for an annuity company. After high school, she studied business administration in college and served an apprenticeship at Motown. She ultimately received a real estate brokerage license, which positioned her to start her own business as a real estate and mortgage broker in Las Vegas.
When the real estate market in Las Vegas crashed in the late 1990s into the 2000s, Gordy, who was born in Detroit, decided to fill a void in entertainment, which was to present and promote live and exciting variety shows that predominately featured African American artists – both established and newcomers.
Gordy also created “Stage 2 Stage Singing Competition,” a spinoff from “Take The Stage.” The national show goes to various cities, where new and upcoming vocalists compete for the chance to come to Vegas to perform on Gordy’s Vegas stage.
“A lot of people want to perform in Vegas,” said Gordy. “However, it’s not easy to get a show or venue to perform here. So ‘Stage 2 Stage’ presents real opportunities.”
Gordy is also excited about her new venture into television. “Take The Stage” will now air on such TV platforms as Century Link Prism Channel 33, CW Cox Cable Channel 6, NBC Channel 3, and other television outlets that served greater Las Vegas and beyond. Gordy serves as the television show’s associate producer and has teamed with television executive producer Tony John Sacca to bring ‘Take The Stage” to viewers. “Take The Stage” shows are also live streamed by Ustream.tv.
“It’s pure magic when people come into this room to see our shows,” Gordy said. “Everything that’s going on has been such a blessing. I give all the glory to God.”
“My niece presents one of the most exciting shows anywhere in Las Vegas,” said Zeola Gaye, Marvin Gaye’s sister. “There are always great entertainers, established, new and upcoming, every week. It’s always amazing here.”
Even before Sherry Gordy ventured into any business endeavors, her father had “supreme” confidence in her abilities. In his 1994 autobiography, “Berry Gordy To Be Loved, The Music, The Magic, the Memories of Motown,” the international music icon wrote, “My daughter Sherry, down-to-earth and independent, is an aggressive go-getter…”
For more information about “Take The Stage”, or about other Sherry Gordy ventures, log on to SherryGordyPresents.com.
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