On 14 April 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. opened the doors to Hitsville U.S.A. studio, the headquarters of Motown Records, at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit. That same day, Mr. Gordy auditioned a young singer-songwriter named Marv Johnson, signing him to Motown Records. Johnson recorded an album and several singles for the label before leaving in 1961.
Another Motown artist, Barrett Strong, could also be considered the first black man signed to the label. Strong was signed to Motown Records in 1959, shortly after the label's founding. He released several singles for the label, including the hit song "Money (That's What I Want)" in 1960. However, Strong was not the first artist to sign with Motown Records. That honor goes to a white group called the Miracles.