Born in Detroit, Michigan, Dozier was encouraged by an elementary school teacher who loved his writing as a kid.“She thought it was very astute of me to have such a feel for words and stuff,” lamont said in an interview “So I started to put these words to music by the time I was, like, 12 or 13.”While in high school, Dozier started his own doo-wop group called The
Romeos and by the 1960s his musicality caught the attention of Motown
Records founder berry Gordy.
Along with Brian and Eddie Holland, he formed Holland-Dozier-Holland
and they would go on to be the chief architects of the “Sound of Young
America.” Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote 80 singles that hit the Top 40 of the
pop or R&B charts, including 15 number one songs. The trio crafted
classic songs for Martha and the Vandellas (“Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack”),
the Four Tops (“Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Bernadette,” “I Can’t Help
Myself”) the Supremes (“You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Baby Love,” “You Keep Me
Hangin’ On”), Marvin Gaye (“How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You), and
many others. From 1963 and 1972.Describing the creative process of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Dozier
said, “Brian was all music, Eddie was all lyrics, and I was the idea man
who bridged both.” In 1967, Dozier and the Holland brothers left Motown, at the peak of
their powers, in a dispute over money and ownership. They would go on to
launch two labels of their own, Invictus and Hot Wax, where they wrote
Freda Payne’s “Band of Gold” in 1970. Resuming his singing career in 1973, Dozier released several solo
albums and singles including “Trying to Hold On to My Woman,” which
reached the Top 20, and “Fish Ain’t Bitin’,” which urged the resignation
of then-President Richard Nixon. Throughout the 1980s, he wrote songs for Alison Moyet, Simply Red and Phil Collins. Dozier served as an artist-in-residence professor at the University
of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music and as chairman of the
board of the National Academy of Songwriters. Along with Eddie and Brian Holland, he was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009. The man did so much for Soul music as a writer and performer and will NEVER be forgotten.....LEGEND!!!...R.I.P...My tribute with a few of my fave songs of the great man..
13 comments:
One of the all time greats of Soul music, R.I.P.
RIP Lamont great soul singer!
Yes he was prolific writer of great music i was reading that a family member once said to a family member sugar pie honey bunch which he used to effect and a another was when he was two timing an ex that she was giving him a hard time and he said stop in the name of love which didn't help him but did help the Supremes if that is true or not loved his singing must be a box set on the way here.
Cheers Pedro
Brilliant artist.
Wonderful review my friend.
RIP Mr Lamont Dozier
Very sad news, a true legend of soul music and music in general!!
his music will live on forever!!
Reb
Very sad indeed. Let his music live on!!
Thanks for the post - didn't know until I read it here.
RIP Lamont.
Very Sad. The Music Of My Youth
Always Knew He Was A Great Song Writer But Never Heard Him Sing
GREAT review of a very sad occasion. He was responsible for a lot of joy to a lot of people..what an epitaph!
NO Cheers!
Bill
R.I.P.
I'm just a little pissed to find out he wrote songs for Simply Red and Phil Collins (how many times did they bother us on the radio and put up with those awful drums and synths in the 80's, if at least Simply Red with other musicians.. .(but of course he wanted success, not higher level musicians...)
GREAT review of a very sad occasion. He was responsible for a lot of joy to a lot of people..what an epitaph!
NO Cheers!(that wouldn`t be right)
Bill
R.I.P. to one of the geniuses Rockin' Soul.
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