The Motown story was beginning to unfold before the procurement of 2648 West Grand Boulevard, however.

Berry had been making steady progress in the music writing department, but was becoming increasingly frustrated as he watched the record companies take the lion's share.

In an early step to counter this, he formed The Rayber Music Writing Company with  Raynoma Liles. This would give them the platform to offer a middle-man service to potential recording artists who may wish to present an acetate or demo disc to a record company.

For $100 dollars they could utilise a small basement studio with piano, bass, guitar and drums. The hastily formed Rayber Voices would provide backing in the form of Robert Bateman, Brian Holland, Sonny Sanders and Raynoma. This was a highly talented combo.

It was 1958, and a steady income was beginning to emerge.

Notes thanks to David Meikle