Lamont Dozier

Career

Dozier was a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers. Along with Brian Holland, Dozier served as the team's musical arranger and producer, while Eddie Holland concentrated mainly on lyrics and vocal production. Along with the Holland Brothers, Dozier followed his work for Motown Records as founder and owner of Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records, producing top-charting hits for acts Freda Payne, Honey Cone, Chairman of the Board, and 100 Proof Aged in Soul.

Early years

Dozier recorded a few unsuccessful records for various Detroit labels before the trio started working together as a writing and production team for Motown in 1962. They first made their mark the following year with Martha and The Vandellas' early hits, including "Come And Get These Memories" (number 6 R&B), "Heatwave" (number 1 R&B, number 4 pop), and "Quicksand" (number 8 pop). In 1964, "Where Did Our Love Go" became the first of ten number 1 pop hits which Holland–Dozier–Holland would write and produce for the Supremes over the next three years or so.

After Holland–Dozier–Holland left Motown in 1968 to form the Invictus and Hot Wax labels, Dozier began recording as an artist on their labels. The most successful song was "Why Can't We Be Lovers" (number 9 Billboard R&B). Dozier departed from Holland–Dozier–Hollandin the mid-1970s and was replaced by new arranger-producer Harold Beatty.

Performer

Dozier went on to record a number of albums as a performer in his own right, also writing much of the material. The 1977 album, Peddlin' Music On The Side (Warner Bros. Records) contained "Going Back to My Roots", which was later recorded by Odyssey. The earlier "Black Bach" (ABC Records) featured the country-flavored "All Cried Out" (#4 R&B, #26 pop). He had his biggest hit with 1974's "Trying to Hold On to My Woman" (ABC), which reached #15 pop, #4 R&B. In 1981, he scored a beach music hit with "Cool Me Out."

Composer

Dozier had another number 1 hit as a songwriter in the 1980s, joining with Phil Collins to write the song "Two Hearts" for the movie soundtrack for Buster. "Two Hearts" received a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, tying with "Let the River Run" from Working Girl by Carly Simon, an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television. Collins and Dozier also co-wrote "Loco in Acapulco" for The Four Tops, which is also featured on the Buster Soundtrack.

In 1984, Essex-born singer Alison Moyet scored a U.S. top 40 hit with the Dozier-penned "Invisible". Three years later, Dozier cowrote "Infidelity" and "Suffer" with Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall for the British pop-soul band's second album, Men and Women. In 1989, they teamed again to write "You've Got It" and "Turn It Up" for Simply Red's follow-up LP, A New Flame.

Hall of Fame

Dozier and the Holland brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

In 2009, he worked on the music for the musical stage version of the movie First Wives Club. He is also teaching a course of popular music at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

Personal life

Lamont Dozier lives in Encino, California, with his wife of thirty-plus years, and their three musically talented children: sons Beau Alexandre (born November 26, 1979) and Paris Ray (born September 12, 1984), and daughter Desiree Starr (born August 1, 1988). He is also related to stand-up comedian and actor John Witherspoon, of The Wayans Bros. and the Friday film series fame.

As featured performer

As a member of The Romeos

As a member of The Voice Masters:

As a member of Ty Hunter and The Voice Masters:

As La Mont Anthony:

As Lamont Dozier:

As a member of Holland-Dozier (Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland):

As Lamont Dozier:

As composer

Album discography