Friday, March 29, 2024

How Sweet It Is! Holland/Dozier/Holland Get Their Star in Hollywood (Look!)

Eddie Holland, Stevie Wonder, Lamont Dozier, Berry Gordy, Brian Holland
(L-R) Eddie Holland, Stevie Wonder, Lamont Dozier, Berry Gordy, Brian Holland

*Declaring it ‘Holland/Dozier/Holland Day’ in Hollywood; Leron Gubler, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said, ‘Today we are honoring them with the 2543rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He said, ‘Today Hollywood honors Holland/Dozier/Holland’ as the crowd erupted in congratulatory cheers!!

Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (HDH) – who were once Motown’s premiere songwriting team that produced so many hits like Marvin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You,’ The Supremes’ ‘Where Did Our Love Go,’ the Four Tops ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There,’ and Martha & The Vandellas’ ‘Heat Wave’ – finally received their much anticipated star on the famous star walk.

The well-attended event included Motown legends Berry Gordy, Mary Wilson, Claudette Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and HDH Invictus label star Freda Payne.

Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson thanks the team for the many #1’s by The Supremes (L) Eddie, Brian

Wilson said, ‘During this February Black History Month we are rubbing shoulders with geniuses. Holland/Dozier/Holland wrote music that has touched our souls…that has touched us from the very core. It has united people around the world.’

Wonder acknowledged them saying, ‘Tremendously you influenced how I wrote and came up with songs.’ He then offered them a challenge: ‘[If] in this year you’ll write some more music [we’ll] team up together and write something great. Thank you for writing songs about love.’

Gordy came to the podium in a joking, kidding way like a father figure. He said, ‘Their body of work is classic, enduring, historic and commercially as valid as it ever was. They produced the Four Tops greatest hits, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, and all the number one hits of Diana Ross & The Supremes. They racked up so many number one hits we stopped counting!’

Berry Gordy honors HDH
Berry Gordy honors HDH

Senior Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge presented commendations from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Councilman Mitch O’Farrell (Hollywood district).

The HDH team was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2003 they were named BMI Icons at the 51st BMI Pop Awards. In 2009 they received the Songwriters Hall of Fame prestigious Johnny Mercer Award.

Eddie Holland lamented: ‘I look back on it now and I still find it amazing. [There were] so many great writers…I would often ask myself how in the hell did everybody become so great at what they were doing?’

Brian speaking fondly of Gordy (as they all did) said, ‘He’s a very magnanimous man…he always has been. I remember times when I’d say “Berry I need to borrow some money” and he’d say “okay Brian how much do you need?” and he would always come through.’

Dozier said, I wanna thank the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for this wonderful honor…thank you Ron Brewington (VP Motown Alumni Association) for your dedication to HDH…a special thanks to Leron Gubler…there are so many people to thank…without them the Holland’s and I would not be standing here today…namely Berry Gordy. Thank you everyone who came out today to celebrate with us.’

HDH reunited for the first time in more than 30 years to write the score for the brand new musical version of the First Wives Club based on the best-selling novel and the hit 1996 film. The musical begins its pre-Broadway premiere run at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre on February 17th and runs through March 29th.

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