Jim Hendin is humble. He has captured some of musics greatest artists for Detroit’s legendary Motown Records. For decades he kept the photos stored away until a dream woke him the middle of the night.
‘I woke up and knew I had to start doing something so I went straight to the basement and began sorting through the archives,? he remembers.
His work, displayed in a private gallery in his Waterford home, include photographs of some of Motown’s most legendary artists. He worked as an independent contractor for Motown from 1968-1974, which means he retains all rights.
On one wall hangs music album covers of Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five, The Temptations and Four Tops, Edwin Starr, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye, to name a few.
Surely one must know how special it is to have captured something so meaningful.
‘I realized what I had, but I did not realize what I had,? he confessed.
Of all of the albums, the largest images are of Marvin Gaye, whom Hendin is very fond of.
Hendin took the series of photos for Gaye’s album, ‘What’s Going on,? one of the greatest albums of all times with songs like “Mercy, Mercy Me” and “What’s Going on.”
The images were captured in Detroit.
‘I would come into the studio and photograph artists when they were in town,? he recalls. ‘They were all really nice, and most of my experiences, I’d say 98 percent were pleasant.?