Features
Motown’s Al Abrams Dies
Al Abrams, the founding press officer and publicist for Motown Records, died of cancer Oct. 3 at his Findlay, Ohio, home. He was 74.
Photo: Nancy Abrams via AP
Born in Detroit, Abrams was the first employee of Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr., before the company officially existed.
Abrams promoted records to Detroit disc jockeys and went on to direct media relations at the label whose artists included Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Miracles, and the Supremes.
Abrams left Motown in 1967 to launch a PR firm with clients such as Stax Records and James Brown.
He also was a journalist and author, and co-wrote a musical, “Memories of Motown.”