NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Singer, Songwriter, and Motown legend Lamont Dozier of the famed Holland-Dozier-Holland (H-D-H) team that wrote dozens of hits and helped put Motown on the map has died at the age of 81.
The music icon’s death was confirmed Tuesday (August 9) via an Instagram post by his son, Lamont Dozier, Jr., A cause of death, has not been revealed.
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Born in Detroit, Michigan, the pioneering songwriter first gained acclaim after joining Motown Records in 1962 along with songwriting brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. Together, they helped create Detroit’s signature “Motown sound.”
They collaborated on more than 200 songs during their career and created more than 25 top 10 singles for such iconic bands as the Four Tops (“Baby, I Need Your Loving”), Martha and the Vandellas (“Heat Wave” and “Jimmy Mack,” Marvin Gaye (“How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You”), and many more.
H-D-H wrote 10 No. 1 songs for Diana Ross and the Supremes, including “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.”
H-D-H also created songs that were surprisingly empathetic towards women. “Women bought the records, to put it bluntly,” said Dozier, explaining their songs to the Guardian. “They wanted music that talked about their feelings, but also … women raised me.”
H-D-H received several accolades during their storied career, notably inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1988) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1990).
In 1973, Dozier broke away to continue writing on his own. He collaborated with Phil Collins on the song “Two Hearts” for the soundtrack of the film Buster, which garnered them a Grammy award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television (1989).
Dozier’s wife of 40 years, Barbara Ullman Dozier passed away in 2021. He is survived by his six children, Beau Dozier, Paris Ray Dozier, Lamont Dozier, Jr., Michelle Dozier, Michael Renee Dozier, and Desiree Starr Dozier.
