Motown Records Founder is Berry Gordy, a five-letter name. Gordy was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1929 and founded Motown Records in 1959. He was the driving force behind the success of Motown Records, which became one of the most successful record labels in history. Gordy's full name is Berry Gordy Jr., and he is credited with launching the careers of many legendary artists such as Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder.