IRS says Motown songwriter Sylia Moy owes $49,866 in income taxes
Robert Snell / The Detroit News

Grammy-nominated Motown songwriter Sylvia Moy, who wrote classics such as "My Cherie Amour" and "This Old Heart of Mine," owes $49,866 in federal income taxes, according to public records. Moy, however, disputes the debt and says it has been paid.

Moy's career started after she was spotted by Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. while performing at the Caucus Club not long after graduating from Pershing High. Though she was signed in 1964 as a songwriter and producer -- the first woman to hold such a title at Hitsville -- she would gain fame behind the scenes, crafting tunes for the label's thirsty stable of stars.

Moy, 70, wrote songs for Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Isley Brothers and the Contours.

Her greatest hits include "My Cherie Amour" for Wonder, "This Old Heart of Mine" for the Isley Brothers and "It Takes Two" for Gaye. Moy, a member of the National Songwriters Hall of Fame who still lives in Detroit, also wrote TV theme songs for such shows as "The Wonder Years" and "Growing Pains" and for films including "Mr. Holland's Opus."

What's owed
$49,866

The Internal Revenue Service filed a $49,866 lien against Moy on March 31 in the Wayne County Register of Deeds office. According to the lien, she owes income taxes from 2005.

Her side

The tax debt stems from an adjustment the IRS made to her 2005 tax return, according to Moy's sister and lawyer Celeste Moy.

Celeste Moy says the tax debt was paid recently and a lien release should be posted soon.

"We're paying it because we want to get the lien lifted, but we don't think it's a justifiable lien for additional taxes," she said.

Sylvia Moy missed some of the tax notices while caring for her 90-year-old mother, who is ill, Celeste Moy said.

"She put a lot of her own personal affairs on hold to do that," Celeste Moy said. "Fortunately, she's still in a position to take care of the lien and has done so."

dang!!


And I was sweating about that 3 dollars that I owe them

funkpill said:

Crazy, ain't it?