Dozier, Lamont

Renowned for his Motown song writing, Lamont Dozier was born in Detroit and grew up in that city’s Black Bottom neighborhood. He didn’t read music but could play the piano by ear, and he became a successful songwriter. He wrote or co-wrote and produced 14 US Billboard No. 1 hits, including ten for the Supremes, and 54 BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) No. 1 hits. From singing in the local Baptist Gospel choir, he went on to join singing groups like the Romeos and the Voice Masters in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A janitorial job at Anna Records led to meeting Anna’s brother, Berry Gordy, whose Tamla Records, started in 1959, became Motown Record Corp. in 1960, and to a collaboration with the Holland brothers, Brian and Eddie. Starting in 1962, the Holland-Dozier-Holland team at Motown churned out one hit after another for the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Four Tops, and the Isley Brothers. A royalty dispute with Gordy led to the team leaving Motown and starting a couple of companies of their own, Invictus Records and Hot Wax records, which continued to produce hits for them. Dozier decided to go solo in 1972 and moved to California where he signed with ABC Dunhill in 1973 and began to record as a performer, writing much of his own material. His 1974 single “Trying to Hold on to My Woman” made it to No. 4 on the Rhythm and Blues chart and No. 14 on the Pop chart. In 1980, he moved to England and continued his successful career there. His song “Two Hearts”, co-written with Phil Collins for the soundtrack of the film “Buster”, earned a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Oscar nomination. He later taught as an artist-in-residence at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. Honors poured in for him and his co-writers: induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1988) and to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1990, with the Holland brothers), the BMI Icon award (2003), the British Special International Ivor Novello Award (2004), the Thornton School’s Legacy Award (2007), the Johnny Mercer award of the Songwriters' Hall of Fame (2009) for lifetime achievement.