Gordy family was also a professional in bowling. His daughter Iris was married to singer Johnny Bristol. The eldest Gordy daughter, Esther (April 25, 1920 – August 24, 2011), born in Georgia, established herself early in business as a political campaigner for her husband, Detroit politician George Edwards. In the late 1950s, she formed a loan company named after her parents; in 1959, she helped her brother Berry with a $800 loan to start Tamla Records. She borrowed the proceeds from the college tuition fund their father had established for Berry. Edwards served as mentor, adviser, and vice president of Motown's main
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever of Motown", was crudely trivialized during a segment in Motown 25 where executives and employees at Motown, and even Berry Gordy himself, gave all kind of answers to what the Motown Sound was—with no answer giving credit to the musicians. Additional appearances were made by Dick Clark, Howard Hesseman and Tim Reid (reprising their "WKRP in Cincinnati" roles as disc jockeys), fast-talker John Moschitta Jr., T.G. Sheppard (who recorded for Motown's 1970s country label and had two #1 hits on Billboard's country chart), Billy Dee Williams, and The Lester Wilson Dancers. Additionally, clips of Rick James and The Mary Jane