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Page 3
William "Smokey" Robinson, besides writing and producing songs for his group, The Miracles, also produced and wrote for Mary Wells. And several early Supremes records! (On those early efforts, Diana Ross has a nasal Mary Wells-type sound, and you can hear Mary and Flo clearly!) There'll be more on Robinson later too. Curtis Mayfield, besides writing for his group, The Impressions, also wrote for and produced Jan Bradley ("Mama Didn't Lie"-1963) and Major Lance. Del Shannon (born Charles Westover) wrote for Brian Hyland and also composed "I Go To Pieces", "Runaway", "Hats Off To Larry", "Little Town Flirt", and "Keep Searchin." Gene Pitney wrote "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson, "He's A Rebel" for the Crystals (Darlene Love singing the lead), and "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee. He was the first rock star to perform at the Oscars for the nominated song "Town Without Pity." Bob Gaudio started with the Royal Teens and co-wrote their hit "Who Wears Short Shorts". Along with Frankie Valli , he founded the Four Seasons. He and writing partner Bob Crewe wrote "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry", ' Rag Doll", "Walk Like A Man", "Bye Bye Baby", "Silence Is Golden", and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", among others. Gaudio also co-wrote with his wife, Judy Parker, creating the gems "Who Loves You" and "Oh What A Night(December 1963)", two later Four Seasons hits. Gaudio later worked with Neil Diamond and became a writer/producer for film albums. Jackie DeShannon (born Susan Myers, she began using the name of Jackie DeShannon in 1959) wrote or co-wrote "Dum Dum" by Brenda Lee, "When You Walk In The Room" and "Needles and Pins" by The Searchers, "The Great Imposter" by The Fleetwoods, and later, "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes. Luther Dixon was the Shirelles' producer and a gifted songwriter as well. He wrote "Boys", "Mama Said", and "Soldier Boy", in addition to others. The trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote and produced for Martha and the Vandellas ("Come and Get These Memories", "Heat Wave", "Nowhere To Run", "Jimmy Mack"), Marvin Gaye ("Can I Get A Witness", "You're A Wonderful One", "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You"), The Marvelettes, and others in the Motown stable. (There'll be more on them later.) Here are some of the King-Goffin hit list: "Chains" and "Don't Say Nothing Bad About My Baby"- The Cookies, "Locomotion"-Little Eva, "Crying In The Rain"-Everly Brothers, "Every Breath I Take"-Gene Pitney "Go Away Little Girl"-Steve Lawrence "Halfway To Paradise"-Tony Orlando "Hey Girl"-Freddie Scott "I Can't Stay Mad At You"-Skeeter Davis "I Just Want To Stay Here"-Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme "I'm Into Something Good"-originally by Earl-Jean, remade by Herman's Hermits. "Oh No Not My Baby"-Maxine Brown "Up On The Roof"-The Drifters "One Fine Day"-The Chiffons
The copyright of the article Pop Music Composers in the 1960s - Page 3 in 60s Music is owned by Patricia Jacobs. Permission to republish Pop Music Composers in the 1960s - Page 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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