[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H3663-H3664]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE SONGWRITING TEAM OF HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, today I take the well to celebrate one of 
the great music writing teams in contemporary writing history, and that 
is the fabulous legendary song writing team of Brian Holland, Lamont 
Dozier and Edward Holland, who wrote frequently with the Berry Gordy 
Motown group creating the enduring Motown sound that is still being 
heard in this country and all over the world.
  I am happy to point out that these three great songwriters, all from 
Detroit, Michigan, will be honored by the Broadcast Music Incorporated, 
BMI, on May 13 with the ICON Award which is reserved for songwriters 
who have been unique and had indelible influences on generations of 
music makers. They will receive this award at the 51st Annual BMI 
Awards Dinner in Beverly Hills, California, and its president and CEO, 
Ms. Frances Preston, will present the award.
  I am happy to tell you that I have had the honor of watching this 
great musical system of Berry Gordy and his family and these writers 
develop over the years. How interesting to now turn back only a little 
while ago to find that the Hollands had to go to church

[[Page H3664]]

and Mr. Dozier did too, and they could not go to the movies on Sunday 
until they had gone to church. They could not do anything else for the 
rest of the week if they had not gone to church. And in their home the 
only music that was allowed was gospel and classical and sometimes 
Billy Eckstein or Sarah Vaughan or Nat King Cole. And so these 
youngsters on the west side and east side of Detroit where they went to 
school, some of them met and knew Aretha Franklin, who was then singing 
in her father's, the late Reverend C.L. Franklin, church on Linwood 
Avenue already at the tender age of 9 years old, and they came out of 
this great family tradition.
  Mr. Dozier's grandmother, Mrs. Melvine Watson, was the choir director 
at the Spiritual Israel Church Pentecostal; and when he was in junior 
high school he had formed the vocal group, The Romeos, five young men 
who had a recording contract with Atlantic; and then they went to Gwen 
Gordy, Berry Gordy's sister, Anna Records, and opened up their career 
and furthered it there. Then Gwen Gordy went with her brother Berry 
Gordy and they formed the Motown sound.
  It is just so wonderful to recall how all these artists began, where 
their first writing was for Jackie Wilson, where they wrote this song, 
Reet Petite. And then they began to develop, Robert Bateman will always 
be remembered for bringing them together. It was wonderful. They 
finally began to click.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the contributions of the legendary 
songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, consisting of Brian 
Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Edward Holland to American cultural 
history. The songwriting trio, known as H-D-H, wrote most of the songs 
that created the enduring American ``Motown Sound.'' On May 13, 2003, 
they will be honored with the 2003 BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) ICON 
Award, which is reserved for songwriters who have been unique and 
indelible influences on generations of music makers. H-D-H will receive 
this award at the 51st annual BMI Pop Awards dinner in Beverly Hills, 
California. BMI President & CEO Frances W. Preston will present the 
award. Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland are most 
deserving of this award, which puts them in the company of Chuck Berry, 
James Brown, Bo Diddly, and Little Richard.
  In 1959, a young African American Detroiter, Berry Gordy, Jr., formed 
a company named Motown (an abbreviation of Detroit's `Motor City' 
moniker). Holland-Dozier-Holland were architects of the instantly 
recognizable and barrier breaking ``Sound of Young America,'' of 
Motown, creating the songs that turned a fledgling Detroit record 
company and its associated songwriters, producers, and artists, into an 
industry groundbreaker and powerhouse.
  As songwriters and producers, H-D-H created such classics as ``Reach 
Out, I'll Be There,'' ``Stop in the Name of Love,'' ``Where Did Our 
Love Go?'' ``Heat Wave,'' ``Baby Love,'' ``Baby I Need Your Lovin','' 
``How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You,'' and dozens more hits. The blend 
of sweet and joyful lyrics and complex musical stylings defined an era. 
Their music is on the soundtrack of countless films and television 
programs and has become the soundtrack for many American lives. Their 
innovative style and sound inspired millions of musicians throughout 
the world to improve and enhance their craft.
  The astonishing success of H-D-H and Motown was a symbol of change in 
the United States in the 1960's, and the end of an era when access to 
an audience was limited by either opportunities or racial prejudice.
  The sales of Holland-Dozier-Holland's music run into hundreds of 
millions of dollars and include some of the most widely-recognized pop 
songs in the world. Holland-Dozier-Holland songs also have accrued 
nearly 100 million airplays on United States radio and television 
stations. The songwriting team is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of 
Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and winner of The Rhythm and Blues 
Foundation's 2002 Pioneer Award.
  I commend BMI, an American performing rights organization that 
represents more than 300,000 songwriters, composers, and publishers, in 
all genres of music, for honoring Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and 
Eddie Holland. I also congratulate the three worthy recipients.

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