The Corporation (record production team)

The Corporation was a group of songwriters and record producers assembled in 1969 by Motown label head Berry Gordy to create hit records for the label's new act, The Jackson 5.[1][2]

The Corporation
OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
Associated acts
Past members

History

The four members of The Corporation - Berry Gordy, Alphonso Mizell, Freddie Perren and Deke Richards[3] - were responsible for the writing, production and arranging of The Jackson 5 number-one hit singles "I Want You Back" (1969), "ABC", "The Love You Save" (both in 1970); as well as for other Jackson 5 singles such as "Mama's Pearl" and "Maybe Tomorrow" (both in 1971).[1] They were also responsible for writing and producing "Bless You", the last hit by the trio Martha and the Vandellas before that group disbanded in 1972.

Like Motown's previous production team, The Clan, which was pulled together to create the singles "Love Child" and "I'm Livin' in Shame" for Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Corporation was intended as a replacement of sorts for Holland–Dozier–Holland, who had left the label in late 1967 to start Invictus Records and Hot Wax Records. Occasionally, they were joined by Perren's wife Christine Yarian.

Gordy created The Corporation because he did not want any more "back room superstars", which the H-D-H team had become. The group members were never billed individually on the original Jackson 5 releases they worked on; even the songwriters' credit was listed as "The Corporation™".[4]

The Corporation disbanded in 1972, after Hal Davis had assumed creative control of the Jackson 5's output. After its disbanding, Motown would credit Gordy, Mizell, Richards, and Perren individually on compilation releases containing Corporation-created Jackson 5 material.[5][6][7]

Songs

References
  1. Gordy, Berry (1994). To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown (First ed.). New York: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 415–416. ISBN 0-7472-1417-4.
  2. Larkin, Colin (2011-05-27). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
  3. "Deke Richards, Motown Songsmith, Dead at 68". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
  4. "Deke Richards, Motown Producer And Songwriter, Dies". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
  5. "The Corporation | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
  6. Dahl, Bill (2011-02-28). Motown: The Golden Years: More than 100 rare photographs. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-1440227837.
  7. Brown, By Helen. "Michael Jackson and Motown: the boy behind the marketing". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-29.


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