The Ultimate Motown Party Dance Mix

By Michael Brafford

It’s What’s Happening Baby premiered this March on TPT 2.

The show features live, onstage performances from over a dozen of the greatest soul, rock, and R&B artists of the 20th century: artists such as Ray Charles, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Dionne Warwick, and many others. Murray The K hosted the legendary TV special which will be seen for the first time in over 50 years on public television stations across the country.

When I saw the lineup for the show, I immediately had a memory of my childhood in Des Moines looking through my parents’ old 45s. My younger brother and I would play those songs repeatedly to memorize them and then sing duets for our parents. We loved the music of The Crests, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Dion and The Belmonts, The Four Seasons, and so many more great groups from the 50s and 60s. These were the original boy bands.

As I grew up, my taste in music changed, expanded, and evolved. It wasn’t until about six years ago that I had a renewed love for “the oldies.” My wife and I were watching Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever on TPT. It had all the greatest acts in one amazing show: Marvin Gaye, The Commodores, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5. They had a Temptations vs Four Tops “battle of the bands.” This was also the show that popularized the Moonwalk around the world, when Michael Jackson performed it while singing Billy Jean. The show was so inspiring that I took out my wallet and became a TPT member for the first time. We have been sustaining members ever since.

I have been excited to share my love for music with my two sons. We’ll often have dance parties in the kitchen as we listen to all kinds of music, including Rock, Pop, Soul, R&B, Swing, and everything in between.

It has been one of my greatest joys in life to dance, sing, and listen to great music with my family and friends. I wanted to share my love of Motown with our TPT viewers, so I’ve created the Ultimate Motown Dance Party mix. This is a mix of some of my favorite Motown songs. It’s perfect for those impromptu kitchen dance parties or for future get-togethers whenever we’re all able to get together again.

Open on Spotify and let the party begin.