Background
Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan.
composer singer songwriter record producer
Holland was born 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 has written or co-written 80 hits in the United Kingdom and 143 in the United States 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".
Holland also composed songs for the First Wives Club musical.
All singles on Motown, unless noted. 1958 - "You" (Mercury)
January 1959 - "Merry-Go-Round" (initially released on Tamla, later on United Artists)
1960 - "Because I Love Her" United Artists)
1960 - "Magic Mirror" (United Artists)
1960 - "The Last Laugh" (United Artists)
October 1961 - "Jamie" (United States #30, United States Rhythm & Blues #6)
April 1962 - "You Deserve What You Got"
May 1962 - "If Cleopatra Took A Chance"
August 1962 - "If lieutenant"s Love (lieutenant"s Alright)"
December 1962 - "Darling I Hum Our Song"
June 1963 - "Baby Shake"
October 1963 - "I"m on the Outside Looking In" b/w "I Couldn"t Cry If I Wanted To"
December 1963 - "Leaving Here" (United States #76, United States Rhythm & Blues #27)
May 1964 - "Just Ain"t Enough Love" (United States #54, United States Rhythm & Blues #31)
August 1964 - "Candy to Maine" (United States #58, United States Rhythm & Blues #29).
He was a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team 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
