Josh Richards was just 15 when he auditioned for ‘The Voice Australia’ in 2018, with a powerful rendition of a song that has become a soul standard over the years.

That song was ‘I’ll Be There,’ by the Jackson Five. It was originally released in 1970. It featured the vocals of a young Michael Jackson, along with his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. The song hit number one in the charts, their fourth song in a row to do so.

This made the Jackson Five the first black group in history to have four number ones. The song has historical and cultural value. It was also the best-selling song on the Motown record label between the years 1959 and 1972. Indeed, the Jackson five was special, just as a group, because they were one of the first few black acts to cross over and make an impression on white record buyers.

Though the Jackson Five made it famous, ‘I’ll Be There’ was written by Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Bob West, and Willie Hutch. Berry Gordy is part of music history, as the man who founded Motown Records. Motown met with unprecedented success during its years of operation.

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