Motown Songwriting Vets To Receive Coveted Johnny Mercer Award

Motown songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland will receive the coveted Johnny Mercer Award at the 2009 Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards dinner on June 18th at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel.

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Legendary Motown songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland will receive the coveted Johnny Mercer Award at the 2009 Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards dinner on June 18th at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel.

The trio, who wrote indelible hits for the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye are considered key architects in the Motown sound. Together they penned “Where Did Our Love Go?” “Baby, I Need Your Loving,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Stop In The Name Of Love,” “Baby Love,” “Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hanging On,” “Nowhere To Run,” “Same Old Song,” and “Can’t Help Myself,” to name just a few. In total, the team wrote 70 Top 10 songs from 1962 to 1967, including 50 #1 hits.

“Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland’s massive stream of classic songs changed the face of popular music in a way that has endured, creating a style that is highly influential and relevant today,” said Songwriters Hall of Fame chairman/CEO Hal David in a statement. “The Songwriters Hall of Fame is proud to bestow our prestigious Johnny Mercer Award upon this groundbreaking team.”

The Johnny Mercer Award is exclusively reserved for a songwriter who has already been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a prior year, and whose body of work is of such high quality and impact, that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer (who’s songs include “Stardust” and “Moon River”). Past recipients of the award include Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Jimmy Webb, and Paul Simon.

Holland-Dozier-Holland better clear some room on their mantle: during their career, the trio have won a whopping 79 BMI Pop Songwriter Achievement Awards.

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