From Detroit With Love: How Motown Took on the British
As British bands stormed the American charts, Motown launched a counteroffensive—not with bluster, but with brilliance. While the British Invasion reshaped pop culture, the Detroit label doubled down on its signature sound and sharpened its global strategy. Albums were rebranded, tours were booked, and tributes were crafted with care—all part of a calculated effort to win over UK audiences and solidify Motown’s place on the world stage. This is the story of how a homegrown American powerhouse met the British moment head-on—and refused to be overshadowed.
Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
• A BIT OF LIVERPOOL (AND LOVE) •
Motown’s response to the British Invasion was as savvy as it was strategic, and A Bit of Liverpool (released in the fall of 1964) was a masterstroke in flattery aimed at both the UK market and its top British male groups. The album was rebranded for the UK crowd as With Love (From Us to You), a nod to the warm sentiment Motown sought to convey. As the liner notes put it, this was “a tribute to their brothers—their brothers in song,” with no one better suited for this honor than the Supremes, “The Number One Sweethearts of America.”
The cover captures Diana, Mary, and Florence in regal fashion—olive pea coats, bowler hats, ties, and white gloves—leaning casually on curved-handled umbrellas (or brollies, as the British often say). It was an image of both sophistication and playful tribute to the British style, signaling a cultural harmony between the American girl group and their British counterparts.
The album itself served as a carefully curated blend of homage and mutual admiration, featuring covers of the Beatles, The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, and even a few fitting Motown hits by The Miracles and The Contours. It was a delightful mix of musical camaraderie and strategic diplomacy, designed to win over the hearts of British fans and keep Motown firmly at the forefront of the transatlantic pop landscape.
LISTEN TO “A HARD DAYS NIGHT” BY THE BEATLES COVERED BY THE SUPREMES
LISTEN TO “BITS AND PIECES” BY THE DAVE CLARK FIVE COVERED BY THE SUPREMES
• HERE COMES THE QUEEN (OF MOTOWN) •
While the Beatles certainly admired The Supremes, it was Mary Wells who truly stole their hearts. Her 1964 smash hit “My Guy” wasn’t just a stateside success—it was one of the first Motown tracks to ripple across the Atlantic, catapulting Wells into international stardom. The Beatles, utterly smitten, declared her their favorite American singer and invited her to open for them on their historic 1964 UK tour.
Crowned “The Queen of Motown,” Wells held a title that wasn’t just honorary; it was earned through hits, hustle, and heart. The title felt especially appropriate given she is credited as the first Motown artist to perform in the UK. Her reign wasn’t solely due to her silky-smooth voice or polished poise—it was the way she transcended barriers, a feat that left other Motown acts, including the then “no-hit Supremes,” with a mix of awe and envy as Wells conquered crowds across continents. Wells was one of only three female singers to ever open for the Beatles—Motown’s Brenda Holloway among them—and the five-week fall tour became unforgettable. Ever gracious yet always aware of her power, Wells returned the favor with Love Songs to the Beatles in 1965, a heartfelt tribute album and her second—and final—release for 20th Century Fox, following her bold departure from Motown.
“Mary… once rumored to be romantically involved with Paul McCartney, the ‘choir boy’ Beatle, a rumor Mary vigorously denies.”
- Jet, July 1, 1965
“Mary, who toured five weeks with the Beatles in Europe, still keeps up correspondence with them and was once rumored to be romantically involved with Paul McCartney, the “choir boy” Beatle, a rumor Mary vigorously denies,” wrote Jet in July 1965.
Mary Wells. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
• MOTOWN INVADES THE UK •
Motown’s key performance indicators tell a remarkable story: Motown wasn’t just surviving the British Invasion—it was thriving. From 1964 to 1967, the label dominated the charts with 14 number-one pop singles and 20 number-one R&B hits. Add to that 46 additional Top 15 pop singles and 75 more in the Top 15 R&B, and it’s clear that Motown’s influence was undeniable. In 1966 alone, over 75% of Motown’s releases landed on the charts, solidifying the label's position as a powerhouse in the music industry during this transformative era.
While Motown had enjoyed considerable success in the American market, the UK remained largely untapped, and the label was eager to break into the British scene. The first hint of Motown’s potential in the UK came in 1964 when The Supremes’ “Baby Love” became a number-one hit. This marked the beginning of Motown's international appeal, but it wasn’t until 1965, apart from Wells joining the Beatles tour a year earlier, that the label took bold action to solidify its presence overseas.
Motown had bigger aspirations, hoping to establish its own UK label to further cement its foothold in Europe. To do this, they organized the Tamla Motown Revue, a tour that would showcase some of their brightest stars and introduce British audiences to the full breadth of the Motown sound. The Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and Stevie Wonder, all backed by the Funk Brothers (Motown’s legendary in-house band led by Earl Van Dyke), were all enlisted for the tour. Despite a shaky start with British listeners, the timing was strategic. EMI, the UK’s top record company, was preparing to officially launch the Tamla Motown label in Britain. This tour would be more than just a musical event—it was Motown’s bold declaration of global intent.
When the Motown Revue touched down at London Airport on March 16, 1965, they stepped into a frenzy of fans from the British Tamla Motown Appreciation Society—proof that the Detroit sound was making ripples across the Atlantic, even if mainstream British audiences had yet to fully catch on. Jet-lagged but exhilarated, the artists were swept straight into rehearsal mode with barely a moment to breathe.
Dusty Springfield. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
There was no time to linger. Just hours after landing, they were jostled into Rediffusion’s Studio 5A in North London to begin rehearsing for a special episode of Ready Steady Go! with none other than Dusty Springfield, one of Britain’s most vocal champions of Motown. Springfield wasn’t just performing—she was hosting the episode, titled “The Sounds of Motown,” determined to give British viewers an unfiltered look at the energy and artistry coming out of Hitsville U.S.A. Executives were initially reluctant to center an entire show around Black artists, and reportedly brought in Springfield—both as host and performer—as a strategic compromise to make the program more acceptable to the predominantly white mainstream audience.
For Rosalind Ashford and the rest of Martha & the Vandellas, the rehearsal felt more like a reunion. Springfield wasn’t just a British pop star—they already knew her as a friend and fellow admirer of soul.
“She was wonderful. We met Dusty when we did a show in Brooklyn with Murray the K,” said Ashford. “We got acquainted with Dusty and we became very good friends. She enjoyed us so much and that’s how we got onto her special and did background on ‘Wishin’ and Hopin’ on her the show. We have been friends for a long time [up until her death in 1999].”
WATCH DUSTY SPRINGFIELD PERFORM “WISHIN’ AND HOPIN’” WITH MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS
Two days later, on March 18, the show was taped in front of a live audience. But despite the historic nature of the performance, the episode didn’t air until April 28—after the Motown Revue had already left the UK. The delay cost them a chance to directly connect the televised moment with their live tour.
Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
That tour, however, was a whirlwind of its own. Kicking off with a high-octane show at the Finsbury Park Astoria in London, the group launched into a grueling 21-date journey across England, Wales, and Scotland in a 52-seat coach.
By the time they reached Bristol, exhaustion had set in. The Supremes and Berry Gordy, unwilling to endure the cramped conditions any longer, opted for a limousine, leaving the rest of the performers and crew behind to forge friendships on the long, bumpy rides. Their camaraderie would be tested by half-filled theaters and lukewarm reviews. Outside of London, Motown’s magic didn’t quite translate—ticket sales struggled under steep prices and overambitious attendance goals.
In an effort to boost box office numbers, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, then riding high on the charts, were added to the bill. Still, one question lingered: Had the absence of Mary Wells—who had won British hearts in 1964 and had the Beatles in her corner—left a void too big to fill?
Though the venues weren’t packed, the passion of the fans who did show up was undeniable. Still, the Motown artists were caught off guard by the British audiences’ restraint—applause often came only at the very end, a stark contrast to the electrified crowds they were used to back home.
Critics took note of Motown’s signature precision, some arguing that the performances were almost too polished, their intricate choreography and seamless harmonies a testament to relentless rehearsal. But no matter the reviews, the night nearly always ended the same way—with the entire revue crowding back onstage for a jubilant, all-in performance of the Miracles’ “Mickey’s Monkey,” turning even the most reserved audiences into believers before the final note.
The tour also saw Berry Gordy and Diana Ross’s relationship play out more publicly, marking the beginning of their six-year affair. In Manchester, tensions boiled over during a heated argument about a song—one so intense that it caught the attention of the entire Motown entourage. Many noted that Ross had a rare power within the label, unafraid to challenge the boss in a way few dared.
• AFTER THE TOUR •
But what began in conflict found resolution in Paris. After the tour wrapped, Gordy sent everyone else home and spent two uninterrupted days with Ross, cementing a connection that would shape both their personal lives and the future of Motown itself.
The Tamla Motown UK Tour gave the label a foothold in Britain, but not the immediate takeover Berry Gordy had envisioned. Cracking the British charts proved slow—of the first six Tamla Motown singles released in 1965, only one made an impact.
Momentum built gradually as various artists found modest success, but it wasn’t until the fall of 1966 that the dam truly broke. The Four Tops’ “Reach Out I’ll Be There” soared to the top, cementing Motown’s place in the UK music scene. The song’s success caught the attention of Brian Epstein, manager of the Beatles, who flew the Four Tops to London to headline the debut of his elite concert series, an event packed with the city’s cultural aristocracy. Reflecting on the night, Duke Fakir of the Four Tops later called it “the best show ever.”
LISTEN TO “REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE” BY THE FOUR TOPS
“Four guys far on the other side of their teens can sing louder than the Yardbirds, smile more than Herman [Herman’s Hermits] and jump around more than the Raiders [Paul Revere and the Raiders],” wrote Rochelle Reed of KRLA Beat at the time. “In fact, they do it all the time, here and abroad, in clubs and concert, for both fun and profit.”
The Four Tops. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys