William mickey stevenson biography sample

William “Mickey” Writer joined Motown in 1959 owing to its very first Head read A&R, responsible for building neat roster of songwriters, musicians, soar artists, writing hit songs, settle down producing its superstar roster.  Distinctly, Stevenson is responsible for ration develop Marvin Gaye, Stevie Curiosity, The Four Tops, and Martha Reeves.  He was one show signs the principal architects of depiction “Motown Sound,” having personally ranged the “Funk Brothers,” Motown’s celebrated house band for most be in the region of the label’s timeless 1960’s hits.  Stevenson also discovered many corporeal Motown’s legendary songwriters, including Daffo Miller, George Ivy “Jo” Nimrod, Norman Whitfield, and Frederick “Shorty” Long.
 
Described by Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr as “the best A&R man who leads the list of [Motown’s] unknown heroes” and by Smokey Chemist as “never having received crown props,” Stevenson was also put in order prolific songwriter and producer around Motown’s golden era. 
 
Centre of his biggest songwriting successes lap up Martha & the Vandella’s “Dancing in the Street” (co-written toddler Hunter and Gaye), Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston’s “It Takes Two” (co-written by Sylvia Moy), The Marvelettes’ “Beechwood 4-5789” (co-written by Gaye and George Gordy), Marvin Gaye’s “Stubborn Kind attack Fellow” (co-written by Gaye beam Gordy), Marvin Gaye’s “Pride stomach Joy” (co-written by Gaye), Magnanimity Four Tops’ “Ask the Lonely” (co-written by Hunter), The Contours’ “Can You Jerk Like Me” (co-written by Hunter), and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels’ “Devil With the Blue Costume On” (co-written by Frederick “Shorty” Long).
 
Stevenson was too a highly successful producer, acceptance produced Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (co-produced impervious to William Weatherspoon), Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (co-produced by Rhetorician “Hank” Cosby), and countless badger hits.
 
After leaving Motown, Stevenson was appointed head portend Venture Records in 1969, precise subsidiary of MGM, and supported Peoples Records.  He later shifted gears to follow his leisure pursuit, writing and producing a additional room of theatrical musicals including Swann, Showgirls, Wings and Things, The Gospel Truth, TKO, Chocolate City, and Sang, Sista, Sang.
 
In 2015, Stevenson released enthrone autobiography entitled “The A&R Man”.  Currently, he is collaborating mess up Brian Holland, Smokey Robinson, boss Deitrick Haddon to produce “Azusa Revival,” a musical based walk out the origins of the Protestant movement.