History
Until 1967, Holland, Dozier, and Holland were the top composers and producers for Motown, establishing acts like the Supremes and Four Tops with many major hits in the mid-1960s. Looking for more control and greater rewards, they left Motown in 1968 to launch Hot Wax Records, along with Invictus Records.
A songwriter is a professional that writes lyrics or composes musical compositions for songs. A songwriter can also be called a composer, although the latter term tends to be used mainly for individuals from the classical music genre and film scoring, but is also associated with writing and composing the original musical composition or musical bed. A songwriter that writes the lyrics/words are referred to as lyricist. The pressure from the music industry to produce popular hits means that songwriting is often an activity for which the tasks are distributed between a number of people. For example, a songwriter who excels at writing lyrics might be paired with a songwriter with the task of creating original melodies. Pop songs may be written by group members from the band or by staff writers – songwriters directly employed by music publishers. Some songwriters serve as their own music publishers, while others have outside publishers.
A record producer or music producer oversees and manages the sound recording and production of a band or performer's music, which may range from recording one song to recording a lengthy concept album. A producer has many, varying roles during the recording process. They may gather musical ideas for the project, collaborate with the artists to select cover tunes or original songs by the artist/group, work with artists and help them to improve their songs, lyrics or arrangements.
The Supremes were an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and are, to date, America's most successful vocal group with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity, and it is said that their success made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success.
Hot Wax Records Inc was incorporated with Eddie Holland registered as both the company President and sole shareholder. The company's administrative offices were situated in Cadillac Tower, a 40-story office block at the corner of Cadillac Square and Bates, one block east of Woodward and two blocks north of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, (known then as the City-County Building). The original Detroit Historical Museum opened November 19, 1928 on the 23rd floor of the Cadillac Tower (then known as the Barlum Tower) and was referred to as the "highest Museum in the world". Holland Dozier Holland's own studio was a converted movie theatre, The Town Theater on Grand River Avenue.
The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center is a government office building and courthouse located at 2 Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. Originally called the City-County Building, it was renamed for the former Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, shortly after his death in 1997. It serves as the City of Detroit government headquarters.
The Hot Wax label, distributed by Buddah Records, was in full operation for about four years, racking up a series of successful records, such as million-sellers Honey Cone's "Want Ads" and the follow-up, "Stick Up" (the former was a number 1 hit in 1971 on the Billboard Hot 100 and both were number 1 hits on the Billboard R&B Singles charts) and "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show". Other hits included 100 Proof (Aged In Soul)'s "Somebody's Been Sleeping" (the label's third gold record in 1970); "Westbound Number 9" by Flaming Ember; and "Rip Off" by Laura Lee. Then towards the mid-1970s, like sister label Invictus, Hot Wax was distributed by CBS Records.
Buddah Records was an American record label founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's founding. Buddah handled a variety of music genres, including bubblegum pop, folk-rock (Melanie), experimental music, and soul.
Honey Cone was an American R&B and soul all–girl vocal group, who are best remembered for their Billboard #1 hit single, "Want Ads". They were the premier female group for Hot Wax Records, operated by Holland–Dozier–Holland after they had departed from Motown Records.
"Want Ads" is a song that was a million-selling Number 1 pop and R&B hit recorded by female group, Honey Cone for their third album Sweet Replies and also appears on their fourth album Soulful Tapestry. The song on the Detroit-based Hot Wax label was written by Greg Perry, General Norman Johnson and Barney Perkins. It was produced by staff producer, Greg Perry, and features a young Ray Parker, Jr. ("Ghostbusters") on rhythm guitar.
For contractual reasons, the names Holland/Dozier/Holland were not used on releases until 1970, (songs were initially credited to "(Ronald) Dunbar and (Edythe) Wayne"). Other writers/producers for the label included Greg Perry, William Weatherspoon, Angelo Bond, and General Johnson, who was also lead singer with the Invictus group, Chairmen of the Board.
Ronald Dunbar was an American songwriter, A&R director and record producer who worked closely with Holland-Dozier-Holland, and with George Clinton. His co-writing credits include the hit songs "Give Me Just a Little More Time", "Band of Gold", and "Patches", for which he won a Grammy.
Chairmen of the Board is an American-Canadian, Detroit, Michigan-based soul music group, who saw their greatest commercial success in the 1970s.
The first Hot Wax label was black and white with flames coming out of the record at the top. The second Hot Wax label was white with orange swirling flames and black print. In 1973, when Hot Wax finally folded due to cash flow problems, Holland, Dozier and Holland moved their remaining artists to the Invictus Records label. [2] Hot Wax was briefly revived and distributed by CBS Records between 1976 and 1977 when it, along with Invictus, folded and reorganized as HDH Records.
A cash flow is a real or virtual movement of money:
Invictus Records was an American record label based in Detroit, Michigan. It was created by former top Motown producers Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr.. It was the sister label to the Buddah-distributed Hot Wax Records, which was also owned by Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Dozier and the Holland brothers still own the catalogue, which is managed by HDH Records.
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