The Motortown Revue was the name given to the package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960s. Early tours featured Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Barrett Strong, and The Contours as headlining acts, and gave then-second-tier acts such as Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips and The Temptations the chances to improve their skills.
History
Motown's entire roster, and occasionally non-Motown performers such as James Brown and The Famous Flames, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, The Shirelles and Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, were featured on the tours. Most of the venues for the early Motortown Revue tours were along the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the eastern and southern United States. In the Deep South racism became an issue, as the mostly African American performers were sometimes attacked or threatened by local white residents.
In 2015, a double CD deluxe edition of the Motortown Revue in Paris was released, containing 12 previously unavailable and unreleased live tracks.
Charts
Weekly charts
The Motor-Town Review, Vol. 1
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Chart (1963)
!scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
|}
The Motor-Town Review, Vol. 2
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Chart (1964)
!scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
|}
Motortown Revue in Paris
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Chart (1965–1966)
!scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
!scope="row" | UK R&B Albums (Record Mirror)
| align="center"| 3
|-
|}
Motortown Revue Live
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Chart (1969)
!scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
|}