Sylvia Moy
Sylvia Moy (born 1939)[1] is a songwriter and record producer, formerly associated with the Motown Records group. The first woman at the Detroit-based music label to write and produce for Motown acts, she is probably best known for her songs written for Stevie Wonder.
History
She studied and performed jazz and classical music at school, before starting to write songs at Motown.[1] According to Berry Gordy's autobiography To Be Loved, Moy was directly responsible for the label keeping Stevie Wonder. Gordy wrote that, after Stevie's voice began to change as a result of puberty, he was going to drop him from the label. It was then that Moy went to Berry and asked "if she could come up with a hit for Stevie would he reconsider"; he agreed.
Among the hit singles Moy wrote and/or produced while at Motown are "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", "My Cherie Amour", "I Was Made to Love Her", and "Never Had a Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder; and "Honey Chile" and "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" by Martha and the Vandellas.[2] She also co-wrote "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" with Holland-Dozier-Holland for the Isley Brothers; and "It Takes Two" with William "Mickey" Stevenson for Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston.[3]
She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame[4] alongside fellow Motown songwriter and producer Henry Cosby in 2006.[5] Sylvia continues to write and produce at her studio in Detroit.
References
- 1 2 Graham Betts, Motown Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17 February 2015
- ↑ Ribowsky, Mark. Signed, Sealed, and Delivered: The Soulful Journey of Stevie Wonder, p.133-44 (2010)
- ↑ Sylvia Moy at MusicVF.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015
- ↑ Perone, James E. The sound of Stevie Wonder: his words and music, p. 5-11 (2006)
- ↑ Mitchell, Gail (22 April 2006). Rhythm & Blues, Billboard