Saturday 24 September 2005

Motown legend Willie Hutch dies

Willie Hutch, the award-winning Motown and rhythm & blues musician, songwriter and producer who co-wrote the Jackson 5 hit I'll Be There, has died. He was 60. Born Willie McKinley Hutchison in Los Angeles, Hutch died on Monday in Duncanville, Texas, where he lived. The cause of death was not given. A funeral service was held on Friday in Dallas, Texas, where Hutch grew up.

In 1964, his debut single, Love Has Put Me Down, was released by Soul City Records. His music soon caught the attention of The 5th Dimension, which recorded several of his songs. Hutch was best known for his work at Motown during the 1970s, he - along with Hal Davis, Bob West and Motown record-label founder Berry Gordy Jnr - co-wrote I'll Be There for the Jackson 5, which went to No 1 in 1970. A 1992 cover by Mariah Carey also topped the pop music chart.

Hutch also collaborated on the Jackson 5 hits Got to Be There and Never Can Say Goodbye. His song, California My Way, was a minor hit for The Main Ingredient. He released his own solo albums on the Motown label while producing or writing songs for other major performers, including Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross. He was a two-time Grammy nominee.

Hutch also scored such noted "blaxploitation" films as 1973's The Mack and 1974's Foxy Brown. In recent years, he recorded on his own music label, GGIT. Survivors include six children, 10 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, five brothers and eight sisters.

(Scotsman)



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