The Second Track

The Mistake That Made Motown: How a Broken Bass Amp Created the Sound of Young America

Episode Summary

In 1959, Motown session bassist James Jamerson's amplifier started malfunctioning, creating a muddy, percussive tone that should have ruined the recording. Instead, it became the foundation of the Motown sound and influenced every bassist who came after. We dive into how technical accidents can reshape entire genres and why sometimes the 'wrong' sound is exactly right.