Hal Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hal Davis
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Davis with the Jackson 5
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Harold Edward Davis |
| Born | February 8, 1933 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | November 18, 1998 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | rhythm and blues |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, record producer, singer |
| Years active | 1960–1998 |
| Associated acts | The Jackson 5 Marvin Gaye Bette Midler The Supremes Diana Ross |
Harold Edward Davis (born February 8, 1933 – died November 18, 1998) was an American songwriter and record producer. He helped create many famous songs. Hal Davis worked for Motown Records for almost 30 years. He was very important to The Jackson 5 during their later years at Motown.
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Hal Davis's Music Journey
Hal Davis started his music career as a teenager. He was a singer and was managed by Henry Stone. He released several songs on small record labels. In 1960, he moved to Los Angeles. There, he kept recording music. But he also started working more as a songwriter and a record producer.
Discovering New Talent
In the early 1960s, Hal Davis found a talented young singer named Brenda Holloway. He recorded songs with her. He also wrote and recorded music with another singer, Jennell Hawkins.
Joining Motown Records
Around 1962, Hal Davis met Berry Gordy. Berry Gordy was the founder of Motown Records. Gordy asked Davis to lead Motown's first office in Los Angeles. This office later became the MoWest record label.
Working with Marc Gordon, Davis was able to create the special "Motown sound." He used musicians from Los Angeles. He had great success with songs by Brenda Holloway and her sister, Patrice Holloway.
Working with Music Stars
In the mid-1960s, Hal Davis worked with Stevie Wonder. He helped produce songs like "Hey Harmonica Man." He also worked on the album Stevie at the Beach.
Davis is most famous for his work with The Jackson 5. He was a co-writer and producer for some of their biggest hits. These include "I'll Be There" and "Dancing Machine." He also produced "Can I" for Eddie Kendricks.
Hal Davis produced music for many other famous artists too. These include Bette Midler, Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, The Supremes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Thelma Houston, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, Junior Walker, and The Miracles.
Davis stayed with Motown Records until the 1990s. He passed away in 1998 when he was 65 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Hal Davis para niños
