Motown’s Eddie Holland turns 84 today
He wrote and co-wrote an impressive string of memorable Motown hits from the 1960’s
Motown’s Eddie Holland turns 84 today
Eddie Holland was born Edward “Eddie” Holland Jr. on October 30th, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as “Jamie”, he started working behind the scenes due to stage fright. He was a member of the famed Motown songwriting and production team Holland–Dozier– responsible for much of the Motown Sound and hit records by Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers, among others. He has written or co-written 80 hits in the UK and 143 in the US charts. Holland served as the team’s lyricist, and also worked with producer Norman Whitfield on lyrics for the songs he produced for the Marvelettes and the Temptations, like “Too Many Fish in the Sea” and “Beauty’s Only Skin Deep”. Among some of his most famous songs are “Can I Get a Witness” Marvin Gaye, “Run, Run, Run”, “Where Did Our Love Go”, “Baby Love”, “Stop! in the Name of Love”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and “Reflections” The Supremes, “Nowhere to Run” and “Jimmy Mack” Martha and the Vandellas, “Reach Out I’ll Be There”, “Standing in the Shadows of Love” and “Bernadette” The Four Tops.
Watch a short story of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team featuring an interview with the three composers
Listen to some of Holland-Dozier-Holland songs compiled by Pop Expresso on Spotify
Watch more 1960’s related videos
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