Willie Hutch -

Willie Hutch (Dec. 6, 1944 — Sept. 19, 2005) — was an American soul-funk musician, composer, and producer from Los Angeles. He wrote for the 5th Dimension, co-wrote the Jackson 5 hit “I’ll Be There,” and produced Michael Jackson and Smokey Robinson. Hutch recorded a sequence of Motown albums that yielded R&B hits including “Brother’s Gonna Work It Out,” “Slick,” and “Love Power.” He also composed and produced the soundtracks to The Mack and Foxy Brown and contributed music to The Last Dragon.

Background

Willie Hutch was born Willie McKinley Hutchison on Dec. 6, 1944, in Los Angeles, California. His father traveled through the South as a blues pianist, while his mother moved the family to Texas in 1953, first to their grandmother’s home in Carrollton and then to an aunt’s home. Hutch began composing songs at age 13 and sang with his brothers and sisters. He attended Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas, where he led the doo-wop group the Ambassadors. Hutch graduated in 1962 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps for a two-year tour. After his discharge in December 1964, he remained in Los Angeles with his older sister Jewel and bought his first guitar.

Hutch pursued singing and songwriting work in Los Angeles and recorded with the Phonetics. H-E-D issued the Phonetics single “Love Is Wonderful” (b/w “Love Has Put Me Down”), followed by further recordings for Trudel. Dunhill issued Hutch’s first solo single, “The Duck,” in October 1965 (b/w “Love Runs Out”). Modern followed with “I Can’t Get Enough” in 1966 (b/w “Your Love Has Made Me a Man”).

One Phonetics member knew photographer Lamonte McLemore, who attended a rehearsal and asked Hutch for material for the vocal group then known as the Versatiles. The group became the 5th Dimension, and Soul City issued the Hutch compositions “I’ll Be Lovin’ You Forever” in November 1966 (b/w “Train, Keep On Movin’”), with Hutch and manager Marc Gordon co-producing both sides. Gordon hired Hutch as a contract songwriter, and the 5th Dimension recorded his “California My Way” and “Learn How to Fly” for Up, Up and Away. Soul City also issued Hutch’s “How Come Baby, You Don’t Love Me” in January 1967 (b/w “Can’t Fight the Power”), with Gordon and Hutch producing both sides.

Hutch continued solo work with “Use What You Got,” issued through Maverick/Venture in December 1968. RCA signed Hutch in 1969 after his work with the 5th Dimension and other Los Angeles acts established him as a songwriter, producer, and recording artist. Hutch wrote and arranged all eleven songs prepared for his RCA debut Soul Portrait.

Discography: