Motown songwriter/producer Deke Richards dies

(CNN) -- Deke Richards, a producer and songwriter who was part of the team responsible for Motown hits like "I Want You Back" and "Maybe Tomorrow," died Sunday at age 68, according to a press release from Universal Music. He had been battling esophageal cancer.

Richards was leader of "The Corporation," Motown's songwriting and producing team that was also made up of Barry Gordy, Alphonzo Mizell and Freddie Perren. The group wrote several hits for the Jackson 5, including "ABC" and "The Love You Save."

Richards co-wrote "Love Child" for Diana Ross & The Supremes, which went on to be a No. 1 hit.

Later in life, he worked on several projects, including the Jackson 5's "Come And Get It: The Rare Pearls," which was a 2012 release featuring rare and unreleased tracks by the group. His final project was mixing eight unreleased tracks by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas for the forthcoming box set "50th Anniversary: The Singles 1962-1972."

A private family celebration is planned. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to help musical education via the HAL Awards' site.

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http://www.cnn.com/2013/0...?hpt=en_c2

Deke's in the middle in the picture. Freddie Perren (RIP) is on the right. Don't know who's on the left though. Fonce Mizell by any chance?

RIP Mr. Richards'

Yeah, heard earlier.

He was very active with fans over at Soulful Detroit, giving out very detailed information on things at Motown in its heyday.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Yeah, heard earlier.

He was very active with fans over at Soulful Detroit, giving out very detailed information on things at Motown in its heyday.

He sure was. He will be surely missed... didn't even know he was sick.

Jackson 5 Songwriter, Pro...hards Dies

Deke Richards, the Motown producer who co-wrote the Jackson 5′s first three #1 hit records has died at age 68.

CBS News reports that Richards died Sunday at a hospice in Bellingham, Washington, following a lengthy battle with esophageal cancer.

Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, appointed Richards and 2 other talented songwriters, Fonce Mizell and Freddie Perren, to craft hits for the Jackson 5 who were signed to the record label in 1968. Richards, Mizell, Perren and Gordy dubbed themselves “The Corporation”.

Together they were responsible for giving the Jackson 5 the biggest hits of their careers, including number 1 hits “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “The Love You Save.”

He also wrote “Love child” for Diana Ross and The Supremes.

For his last music project — a collection of rare Motown singles titled Jackson 5 Come and Get It: The Rare Pearls — Richards recalled the first time he saw a 10-year-old Michael Jackson perform with his brothers at a Motown meet and greet.

“My jaw dropped to the floor. I didn’t know how else to respond to seeing Frankie Lymon, James Brown and Jackie Wilson portrayed by the same little cat at the same time… If you ever heard a young entertainer sing his or her heart out once in your life, I don’t care who it was and where it happened, I guarantee you: the experience was nothing like the night I saw Michael Jackson and his four brothers. When the performance was over, everyone knew they had just witnessed something very special; something just short of a miracle, and as close as you can come to a phenomenon.

Very talented songwriter..R.I.P. Deke....