Deke Richards
Deke Richards | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Dennis Lussier |
| Also known as | Deke Lussier |
| Born | April 8, 1944 Motown |
Deke Richards (born Dennis Lussier;[1] April 8, 1944 – March 24, 2013), also known as Deke Lussier,[2] was an American songwriter and record producer who was affiliated with Motown.[3] He was a member of both the Clan and the Corporation, the latter a production team that wrote and produced some of the Jackson 5's early hits.[3]
Biography
He was born in
Los Angeles, California.[4] His father was the screenwriter Dane Lussier. Deke Lussier portrayed one of the band members in the movie Eegah in 1962.[2] He later used the stage name Deke Richards. While playing in a band that backed singer Debbie Dean, he wrote a song for her, and met Berry Gordy when The Supremes played at the Hollywood Palace in 1966. Gordy signed Richards to a contract as a record producer and songwriter.[4]
Richards also wrote and produced for
Holland, Dozier and Holland left Motown in 1968.[4] He co-wrote the U.S. no.1 hit "Love Child" for the Supremes, and was responsible for "I'm Still Waiting", a UK no.1 hit, for Diana Ross.[5] He and fellow writer Sherlie Matthews also formulated the vocal sextet Celebration, which released an album on Motown's Mowest label, in an attempt to replicate the success of the 5th Dimension
.
Richards died of esophageal cancer on March 24, 2013, at age 68.[5]
References
- ^ "Jackson 5 producer Deke Richards dies aged 68". BBC News, March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 0-7864-2210-6.
- ^ a b Whitall, Susan (June 26, 2009). "From Motown to LA, Michael Jackson left a lasting mark". The Detroit News.
- ^ a b c "Deke Richards, Motown Songwriter and Producer, Dies at 68". Hollywood Reporter, March 25, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
- ^ a b "Deke Richards, of Motown's The Corporation, dies". The Detroit News, March 25, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.Archived 2014-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
External links
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