Al Abrams

AL ABRAMS was born in Detroit. On May 30, 1959, he became the first employee of what was to become Berry Gordy, Jr.’s Motown Record Corporation. Working originally as National Promotion Director, he later became the company’s Director of Public Relations through the glory years of 1964-66.

After leaving Motown, Abrams established his own PR firm, Al Abrams Associates, and worked with Stax-Volt Records. He served as PR Director for Holland-Dozier-Holland’s classic Invictus and Hot Wax Records, represented former Supreme Flo Ballard in her solo career with ABC Records, and worked for and with James Brown, Aretha Franklin and many others.

Author of 11 books, he was an award-winning investigative reporter for the Windsor Star in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Abrams has been a freelance reporter and publicist since 1994. Abrams is also the executive producer and creator of Memories of Motown, which was produced in Berlin’s Estrel Festival Center, January 7 to February 1, 2009. This was the only international show recognizing the 50th birthday of the iconic record label, and celebrated both Motown’s golden anniversary and its global musical legacy.

Abrams was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2011.