Business & brands / Music
Barney Ales
1934–2020 · record executive
Detroit-born son of a Sicilian barber who, as Motown's sales and promotion chief, got its records onto pop radio; later Motown's president.
- Born
Detroit, Michigan- Died
aged 85- Birth name
- Baldassare Ales
- Detroit years
- 1934–1970s
- Field
- Business & brands, Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Ales grew up in Detroit, attended Cooley High School and worked on a Dodge assembly line before taking a sales and promotion job at Capitol Records' Detroit office in the mid-1950s, where he built ties with local record shops and radio stations. In 1959 he managed Warner Bros. Records' Detroit branch. Berry Gordy recruited him in 1960 as Motown's national sales and promotion manager, and Ales built the network that pushed the company's singles to distributors, retailers and pop programmers, helping a Black-owned label compete with the majors. He also earned songwriting credits, including "Once Upon a Time" for Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells. When Motown moved to Los Angeles in 1972 he stayed in Detroit and started the label Prodigal, then returned to Motown in 1975 as executive vice president and later president, leaving in 1979.
Highlights
- Motown national sales and promotion manager from 1960
- Helped carry Motown singles onto mainstream pop radio
- Founded the Detroit label Prodigal (1970s)
- Motown executive vice president and president (1975–1979)
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Worked here · 1960–1972
Motown Museum
He ran Motown's sales and promotion from its West Grand Boulevard headquarters.