Michael McDonald: A Tribute to Motown

Mr. Blue-Eyed Soul, Michael McDonald, with his distinctive baritone voice, pays tribute to Motown’s greatest hits once again in this live performance for the PBS concert series Soundstage. Michael McDonald: A Tribute to Motown was taped in Memphis, Tennessee, hometown to McDonald and most of his band members.

The Grammy Award-winner, along with some special guests, performs classics from his two critically acclaimed and highly successful Motown concept albums. McDonald and guests Toni Braxton, India.Arie, Take 6 and the legendary Billy Preston, perform about a dozen of the most influential and famous American classic songs.

He jump starts the concert with Smokey Robinson’s “I Second That Emotion.” He pays homage to Stevie Wonder by performing “I Was Made to Love Her,” with Billy Preston on the keyboard and vocals, and “All in Love is Fair,” McDonald’s favorite (my favorite too).

From the Marvin Gaye vast music catalog, McDonald performs a very stirring rendition of “What’s Going On,” also with Preston, and “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” And later, with the help of the very talented India.Arie, he takes on Marvin’s most famous duets with Tammy Terrell, “You’re All I Need to Get By,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” songs composed by Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, two of Motown’s greatest songwriting duos.

Toni Braxton joins McDonald on “Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart” and Take 5 lend its harmony to “Tracks of My Tears” and “Since I Lost My Baby.” “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever” and “Nowhere To Run” are two uplifting tunes McDonald includes in this great Motown tribute.

A Tribute To Motown runs a little over one hour and is quite enjoyable for Michael McDonald and Motown fans alike. And the audience certainly seems to be having a blast. McDonald’s “soul” shines brightly on these songs and he does a fabulous job at honoring some of America’s great songwriters by singing their timeless songs.