Lamont Dozier, a legendary songwriter responsible for some of Motown's biggest hits of the 1960s, has died at 81.
The Guardian confirmed the news in a report Tuesday. No cause of death has been revealed.
Dozier formed one-third of the production team Holland–Dozier–Holland. They wrote dozens of hits, including 10 of the Supremes’ 12 No. 1 singles, including "Baby Love" and "You Keep Me Hanging On." In 1988 they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, followed two years later by an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 16, 1941, Dozier started out working for several Detroit labels, but cemented his career in 1962 when he began working with songwriting brothers Brian and Eddie Holland at Motown. They went on to write a number of hits including "Come and Get These Memories," "Heatwave," and "Quicksand" — for Martha and The Vandellas — as well as "Where Did Our Love Go," which was the first of 10 chart-toppers they would write for The Supremes.
Of all the songs the trio had written, Dozier's favorite was "In My Lonely Room" for Martha and The Vandellas.
"It was just a special feeling. It brings back memories of unrequited love," Dozier previously told Songwriter Universe. "When I was composing that piece, I had found a love of my life that didn’t pan out. The girl that I was so fond of was actually named Bernadette. I was loving her from afar. These feelings transformed themselves into a hit."
In 1973, Dozier broke away from Holland–Dozier–Holland to focus on his solo career. In 1981, one of his early singles, "Going Back to My Roots," became a massive success for the disco group Odyssey. Seven years later Dozier teamed with Phil Collins to write the No. 1 hit "Two Hearts," which earned each a Golden Globe and a Grammy. During his solo career, Dozier also worked with Simply Red and Alison Moyet.
Dozier is survived by his six children.