Successful 1960’s Songwriter/Performer Partnerships

Motown’s Four Tops.

Legendary singers like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley all chose to sing songs that were written by many different writers. And likewise, many great writers like George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Leiber and Stoller, Otis Blackwell, Jimmy Webb and Billy Strayhorn composed songs for many artists. That was the generally accepted industry practice up until the 1960’s when numerous singer/songwriter relationships were cultivated.

Let’s examine the most successful parings.

My first selection will be the most surprising to many who understandably have never heard of them.

Motown Records had numerous great singer/songwriters including Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. But these writers performed almost all their own songs exclusively.

Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland formed one of the decades best songwriting team spanning the most formative years for Motown Recordsfrom 1962 to 1968. They were the creative songwriting force behind 12 US Billboard No1 hit singles, 10 of which were for The Supremes.