#NNPA BlackPress

Prolific Songwriter: Lamont Dozier

Black Music Month Spotlight UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of Lamont Dozier Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images June is Black Music Month, an annual celebration of Black American music. First declared by President Jimmy Carter on June 7, 1979, the occasion was renamed “African-American Music Appreciation Month” by President Barack Obama on June 2, […]
The post Prolific Songwriter: Lamont Dozier first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

June 21, 2023

Forward Times Staff

Black Music Month Spotlight

UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of Lamont Dozier Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

June is Black Music Month, an annual celebration of Black American music. First declared by President Jimmy Carter on June 7, 1979, the occasion was renamed “African-American Music Appreciation Month” by President Barack Obama on June 2, 2009. “The legacy of African-American composers, singers, songwriters, and musicians is an indelible piece of our Nation’s culture. Generations of African Americans have carried forward the musical traditions of their forebears, blending old styles with innovative rhythms and sounds. They have enriched American music and captured the diversity of our Nation. During African-American Music Appreciation Month, we honor this rich heritage,” Obama wrote in a 2009 proclamation.

“I call upon public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with […] more activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music which is composed, arranged, and performed by African Americans,” Obama wrote. Accordingly, The Forward Times honors our musical heritage with a feature on one of music’s most prolific songwriters: Lamont Dozier.

Born in Detroit, Michigan on June 16, 1941, Lamont Dozier was the oldest of five children. His father was drafted by the Army, and so his mother was charged with raising the kids. Dozier dropped out of high school at 16 and started shining shoes to earn money. He formed a group with his friends called the Romeos; he sang with them and another group called The Voice Masters in the late 1950s. He eventually signed with fledgling songwriter and producer Berry Gordy, releasing songs on various Detroit labels.

(L-R) Diana Ross, Lamont Dozier (at piano), Mary Wilson, Eddie Holland, Florence Ballard (seated and Brian Holland in the Motown studio circa 1965 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

In 1962, Dozier’s then-wife Ann introduced him to the two brothers who would change his life. Ann Dozier was packing records and typing in the offices of Gordy’s label, Motown Records when she introduced her husband to Eddie and Brian Holland. By the next year, Dozier had joined forces with the brothers: Dozier and Brian Holland would compose and produce tracks, while Eddie Holland wrote the lyrics. Together they formed Holland-Dozier-Holland, one of the most successful songwriting teams of the decade.

The hits came quickly, including an R&B chart-topper for Martha and the Vandellas called “Heatwave” (1963). In 1964, the songwriters wrote a hit song for a male group called The Four Tops. What started as an instrumental soon became “Baby I Need Your Loving” (1964), the Four Tops’ first million-seller and first Top 20 pop hit.

That same year, Holland-Dozier-Holland penned the first hit for a Detroit girl group that had become known as “the no-hit Supremes.” But not for long. “Where Did Our Love Go?” topped both the pop and R&B charts. It was the first of 10 No. 1 pop hits for the Supremes, including five consecutive number-ones:

“Where Did Our Love Go?” (No. 1 pop & R&B), 1964
“Baby Love” (No. 1 pop & R&B), 1964
“Come See About Me” (No. 1 pop, No. 2 R&B), 1965
“Stop! In the Name of Love” (No. 1 pop, No. 2 R&B,) 1965
“Back In My Arms Again” (No. 1 pop/R&B), 1965

Meanwhile, the Supremes’ success also inspired hits for the Four Tops. Using the same chords as “Where Did Our Love Go?”, Holland-Dozier-Holland composed “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” which topped the R&B charts for nine weeks and hit No. 1 on the pop charts in 1965. The success allowed Dozier to purchase a Cadillac and new homes for his mother and estranged wife.

HOLLYWOOD – MAY 12: (L-R) Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland of the legendary Motown songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland place their hands in cement at a ceremony honoring them with induction into Hollywood’s RockWalk May 12, 2003 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

But by late 1965, the trio had fallen into a rut. In September 1965, “Nothing But Heartaches,” their latest Supremes single, stalled at No. 11 on the pop charts and failed to reach the top 10. “Normally a single that charted that high on the national pop chart would be considered a success, but coming off of five consecutive number ones, Berry saw it as a warning sign,” Dozier later recalled in his memoir, How Sweet It Is. Gordy reacted by issuing a memo to Motown creative staff: “We will release nothing less than Top Ten product on any artist; and because the Supremes’ world-wide acceptance is greater than the other artists, on them we will only release number-one records.”

Prompted by the memo, Dozier and the Hollands began work on something new. Inspired by the movies he’d watched growing up, Dozier mused on how characters had their own theme songs: “I thought about how funny it would be if someone was walking around with their own theme song behind them all the time,” he later wrote. That sparked him to create “I Hear a Symphony,” which was more musically complex than previous works. “The structure of the song is more interesting than most probably give it credit for; instead of the typical verse-chorus-bridge framework, the writers separate each section by mood rather than melody,” wrote Paul Milliken. “I Hear a Symphony” topped both the pop and R&B charts.

That experimentation continued with songs for the Four Tops. In summer 1966, Dozier and Brian Holland gathered at the piano. Dozier later recalled: “I wanted to create a mind trip — a journey of emotions with sustained tension, like a bolero. To get this across, I alternated the keys — from a minor, Russian feel in the verse to a major, gospel feel in the chorus.” He wrote the lyrics with Eddie Holland, tailoring them for the lead singer Levi Stubbs. The result was a number-one pop/R&B hit that became one of the group’s signature songs.

More chart-toppers followed, with “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (both 1966) for the Supremes. And in 1967, Holland-Dozier-Holland kept pushing the boundaries with a new song for the Four Tops. “We said we would never write about girls,” Dozier said in a 2018 interview, “because it was too specific. And they would maybe turn other girls off around the world.” But this song was different. Inspired by memories of a boyhood crush from elementary school (“I had it so bad for Bernadette, I could hardly think straight,” he later wrote), Dozier drew on his memories to compose “Bernadette,” one of the Four Tops’ most memorable songs.

It was also one of the last hits for Lamont-Dozier-Holland. The three left Motown in 1968 over a contract dispute, though they continued to work together until Dozier left the group in 1973. He struck out as a solo artist, releasing several albums through the 1970s. He had his biggest hit with 1974’s “Trying to Hold on to My Woman,” which reached No. 15 on the pop chart and No. 4 on the R&B chart. He also wrote and sang the theme song for the second season of the sitcom That’s My Mama in 1975.

In 1988, Dozier and Phil Collins co-wrote the song “Two Hearts” for the 1988 British film Buster. “Two Hearts” went to No. 1 in both the U.S. and Canada, winning them a Golden Globe for Best Original Song; it was nominated for an Academy Award in that same category. (It also won a Grammy for Best Song Written For a Motion Picture or Television.) In 1990, Dozier and the Hollands were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Dozier died on August 8, 2022, at the age of 81.

The post Prolific Songwriter: Lamont Dozier appeared first on Forward Times.

The post Prolific Songwriter: Lamont Dozier first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Forward Times Staff

Posts by Forward Times Staff

Up Next

Denver Nuggets Celebrate First-Ever NBA Championship

Don't Miss

Federal Trade Commission Takes on Fraudulent Student Debt Relief Scams

Forward Times Staff

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.
How to use the channel:

Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

Live talk show “AutoNetwork Reports” — Thursdays 3:00 PM ET.
AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

Excerpt:

Photo Captions:

Website Tags and SEO Keywords:

Twitter (X) Tags and Handles: