Legendary Motown songwriter and producer Lamont Dozier has passed away at the age of 81.
The news was confirmed by his son, Lamont Dozier Jr, on Instagram.
He was part of the trio of songwriters Holland, Dozier, Holland, who shared several number one records and won Grammy Awards.
Dozier senior has written songs for The Supremes, The Four Tops and The Isley Brothers, as well as for Marvin Gaye and Martha and the Vandellas.
Hits include Baby Love, Nowhere to Run, How Sweet It Is (to Be Love By You) and You Can’t Hurry Love.
His son shared a photo of the two together, with the caption: “Rest in Heavenly Peace, Dad!”
Along with Brian Holland, Dozier was the arranger and producer, while Eddie Holland focused on the lyrics and vocal production.
The trio was instrumental in shaping the Motown sound in the 1960s, as well as the sound of the Detroit-based Motown Records label between 1962 and 1967.
‘Genius of composition’
After the news of his death, tributes came from the musical world.
Nile Rodgers led the tributes, writing: “Genius in composing music. It has had a positive effect on so many lives. We have lost a giant.”
Mike Hucknall of Simply Red worked with Dozier and described him as “one of the greatest songwriters of all time”.
Songwriters Brian Wilson and Billy Bragg, DJs Dave Pearce and Lorraine King, and Grammy-nominated producer Brandon Williams also paid tribute on social media.
Dozier was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1941 and recorded a few records for local labels before collaborating with the Holland Brothers for Berry Gordy’s Motown Records in 1962.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2015, Dozier described the process behind their hit songs.
“We used to arrive at 9 in the morning and sometimes we worked until 3 in the morning,” he said.
“It was blood, sweat and tears. We played the piano and put our ideas on a little tape recorder and worked and worked until we found things.”
After leaving Motown Records in 1967, the trio formed Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records, where they would produce hits for Freda Payne, Honey Cone and Chairmen of the Board.
He will leave the group in 1973 and collaborate with Phil Collins on Two Hearts and won a Grammy, Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for the soundtrack of the movie Buster.
Dozier was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and also received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
