Motown literally made or influenced the best that rock and roll ever was and will be. If Gordy got rich during the ride, big deal. the majority of their acts would never have been known nationally without Motown's support. Every single hit performer during the last 60 years either attributes their creations to a Motown act and/or recommends new aspiring performers to learn from what Motown artists did decades ago.
James Jamerson was such a bad-ass. Anyone who hasn't seen "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" should check it out. Also, Stax/Volt deserves its own thread.