Songwriters Hall of Fame

A pivotal figure in Motown’s formative years, composer Barrett Strong was a key associate and friend of Berry Gordy. Norman Whitfield was one of the major architects of the Motown sound, almost from its inception as a national label. During the 60’s and 70’s, Strong and Whitfield collaborated on a string of hits, including Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” the Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” and “Ball of Confusion,” Edwin Starr’s “War” and “Take Me In Your Arms and Love Me” for Gladys Knight & the Pips. Strong and Whitfield also penned “I Can’t Get Next To You” and “Just My Imagination.”

Famed for his perennial 1971 #1 classic “American Pie,” an elegiac eight-and-a-half minute folk-pop epic inspired by the tragic death of Buddy Holly, singer/songwriter Don McLean rose to fame through the folks clubs of New York City during the 60's. His follow-up to “American Pie,” “Vincent” was also a smash success, and McLean even became the subject of the Roberta Flack hit “Killing Me Softly With His Song; - however, to his credit, he refused to let the success of “American Pie” straitjacket his career. McLean enjoyed a renaissance with the 1980’s “Chain Lightning,” a Top 30 album, which spawned a Top Ten smash with its cover of Roy Orbison's classic, “Crying,” and his original "Castles In The Air," reaching the Top 40.

From their first hit in 1974, Daryl Hall and John Oates’ smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success, including six #1 singles and 6 platinum albums. They are still considered the most successful rock duo of all time. Their songs were filled with strong hooks and…

Al Green's extraordinary voice became known to the world through a string of legendary hits in the early 1970s, classics including "Tired of Being Alone," "Let's Stay Together," "I Can't Get Next to You," "I'm Still in Love With You," "Call Me," "Here I Am," "Let's Get Married" and "Love…

It was estimated that the music of prolific Charles Fox was heard by 300 million people each week as the composer, along with frequent collaborator, lyricist Norman Gimbel, of the themes of such 70’s hit TV shows as “Happy Days” (Our Dreams Come True), “Laverne & Shirley,” “Angie,” “The Love…