Lamont Dozier, Motown co-songwriter and producer of hits such as ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ and ‘Heatwave,’ dead at 81

Singer Diana Ross joins songwriters Lamont Dozier (from left), Brian Holland and Eddie Holland after the writing team was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York on Jan. 17, 1990. Dozier has died at age 81. (AP)

co-NEW YORK — Lamont Dozier, the middle name of the celebrated Holland-Dozier-Holland team that wrote and produced “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Heat Wave” and dozens of other hits and helped make Motown an essential record company of the 1960s and beyond, has died at age 81.

Dozier’s death was confirmed Tuesday by Paul Lambert, who helped produce the stage musical “The First Wives Club” that Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote for. Duke Fakir, the last surviving member of the original Four Tops, called Dozier a “beautiful, talented guy” with an uncanny sense of what material worked best for a given group.