Dr. Luke

Dr. Luke
Birth name	Lukasz Gottwald
Born	September 26, 1973 (1973-09-26) (age 38) Westerly, Rhode Island, U.S.
Origin	New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Pop, pop rock, dance-pop, electropop, hip pop
Occupations	Musician, record producer, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, drum kit, vocals, bass guitar, piano, electronic keyboard
Years active	1997-present
Associated acts	Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kesha, Jessie J, Flo Rida, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Taio Cruz

Lukasz Gottwald (born September 26, 1973), better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs. He was named one of the top ten producers of the decade by Billboard in 2009, was awarded Producer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year awards in 2009 and won the Songwriter of the Year Award at the 2010 and 2011 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Pop Music Awards. Gottwald was also named both the Number One Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year and Number One Producer of the Year by Billboard. ^[1][2]

Life and career

Childhood and youth

Luke was born in Westerly, Rhode Island^[3] to an architect father and an interior-designer mother, but spent much of his formative years in New York City.^[3] He had originally wanted to be a drummer, but his parents refused to allow a drum kit in the house.^[4] At 13, he picked up his older sister's guitar and taught himself how to play. As a teenager, Luke would "listen to bad music over and over, if there was a guitar part [he] admired, so [he] could figure out what the guitar player was doing right."^[4] Gottwald was raised Jewish.^[5]

Career beginnings and Saturday Night Live (1997–2007)

Luke attended the Manhattan School of Music for two years. After he was a student there, he auditioned for the Saturday Night Live Band and won out over 80 applicants, joining Saturday Night Live as the lead guitarist in 1997. Luke performed with the band for ten seasons, leaving at the end of the 2006-2007 season. As a guitarist, Luke performed with Herbie Hancock, Michael Bolton, Phoebe Snow, Jack McDuff and Shabba Ranks, and played with the house band for the TV series Amateur Night at the Apollo.^[6]

While working on Saturday Night Live, Luke performed on a number of jingles and advertisements and became a deejay fixture in New York. Luke also became heavily active in the underground hip-hop scene, producing tracks and remixes for various artists, including Mos Def, Black Star, KRS-One, and Zack de la Rocha^[7] as well as for artists such as Arrested Development and Nappy Roots.^[8] He released the 12" single "Wet Lapse", under the name Kasz, for Rawkus Records, and remixed the theme from the film Mortal Kombat.^[6] While deejaying at a house party, Luke met producer Max Martin and subsequently gave Martin a tour of New York clubs when Martin arrived in the city.^[4]

Producing, songwriting and recognition (2004–present)

Luke currently owns two publishing companies, Kasz Money Publishing for his own songs and Prescription Songs. Prescription Songs employs a network of 17 songwriters, including Ke$ha, Katy Perry and Benny Blanco. As of January 2011, he has garnered 21 Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 singles, becoming the producer with the third most such hits since the charts were created.^[9] Luke co-wrote and co-produced the Kelly Clarkson Hot 100 number two song, "Since U Been Gone" with Max Martin,^[4] he provided the singer another hit in "Behind These Hazel Eyes". Subsequent songs by Pink, "Who Knew" and "U + Ur Hand" reached the Hot 100 top ten. He would go on to co-produce a number one for Avril Lavigne with the song "Girlfriend" as well as seven other songs on the Lavigne album. He also achieved a UK number one with the song "About You Now" for the Sugababes. Luke contributed two songs to Katy Perry's debut album, Hot 100 number one, "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold", as well as three songs to Britney Spears' 2008 album, Circus, including the title track. Luke also co-produced the US number one song "Right Round" by Flo Rida. His third co-production for Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You" would reach the top of the Hot 100 as well. In late 2009, his song for Miley Cyrus, "Party in the U.S.A." would reach number two on the chart as well. In December 2009, Billboard named him as one of the top 10 producers of the decade.^[10]. In 2010, "Tik Tok", recorded by Ke$ha and co-produced by Dr. Luke, became the longest running debut number one single by a female artist since 1977.

On April 21, Luke was named Songwriter of the Year at the 2010 ASCAP Pop Music Awards and received 10 ASCAP Pop Music Awards for the year as the songwriter and publisher.^[8] Luke had received ten Pop Music Awards from ASCAP between 2006 and 2009. He was also named to Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business, placing at #33.^[11] Luke's co-production for Katy Perry, "California Gurls" debuted at number two on the Hot 100 and later reached number one. Second single, "Teenage Dream" would follow suit. "Dynamite", co-produced by Luke, reached number one in the UK and number two in the US. Luke would contribute to three more top ten songs, "Magic" for B.o.B, "My First Kiss" for 3OH!3 and "Take It Off" for Ke$ha, as well as a top five song, "Your Love is My Drug" by the latter on the Hot 100. In November, Ke$ha's lead single, "We R Who We R", co-produced by Luke, became only the seventeenth song to debut at number one on the Hot 100.

On December 1, 2010 Luke received 2 nominations for the 53rd Grammy Awards in the categories Album Of The Year (Teenage Dream by Katy Perry), and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical.^[12] He was also named both the Number One Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year and Number One Producer of the Year by Billboard. At the start of 2011, Advertising Age called Luke "the year's most successful producer and songwriter in terms of chart longevity."^[13] Britney Spears' single, "Hold It Against Me", co-produced by Luke, became the eighteenth song to debut at the top of the Hot 100 in January. He also produced and co-wrote Jessie J's song, "Price Tag", for which he received credit as "Coconut Man". The song debuted at number one in the UK. He also co-produced "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" by Katy Perry, anothers Billboard number one hit. Luke also worked on a song for Rihanna's new album, Talk That Talk, along with Calvin Harris, Cirkut, and Ester Dean.^[14]

Discography

Year	Artist	Album	Details
1999	Black Star		Producer, Remixer, "Respiration" (Dr. Luke Remix)
2000	KRS-One, Zack de La Rocha, Last Emperor	Lyricist Lounge, Volume One	Remixer, "C.I.A. (Criminals in Action)"
2001	A. Skillz & Krafty Kuts	Tricka Technology	Producer, ("Come Alive")
	B. Rich	80 Dimes	Producer, ("Nightmares")
2002	Kelly Osbourne	Shut Up	Co-writer ("Too Much of You")
	Mos Def	We Are Hip-Hop, Me, You, Everybody	Producer, remixer ("All My People (The Body Rock Party Break)")
2003	Nappy Roots	Wooden Leather	Producer, ("These Walls")
2004	Kelly Clarkson	Breakaway	Co-producer, co-writer ("Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes")
	Arrested Development	Among the Trees	Producer, ("Esmerelda")
2005	Backstreet Boys	Never Gone	Co-producer, co-writer ("Just Want You to Know", "Climbing The Walls")
	Marion Raven	Here I Am	Co-producer, co-writer ("Break You")
	The Veronicas	The Secret Life of...	Co-producer, co-writer, ("4ever", "Everything I'm Not") co-producer ("When It All Falls Apart")
	Bo Bice	The Real Thing	Co-producer, co-writer ("U Make Me Better", "Lie ... It's All Right")
	Ebony Eyez	7-Day Cycle	Producer, ("Real Life")
2006	Pink	I'm Not Dead	Co-producer, co-writer ("Who Knew", "'Cuz I Can", "U + Ur Hand")
	Ashley Parker Angel	Soundtrack to Your Life	Co-producer, co-writer ("Let U Go", "I'm Better")
	Paris Hilton	Paris	Producer, co-writer ("Nothing in This World")
	Kelis	Kelis Was Here	Co-producer, co-writer ("I Don't Think So")
	Jibbs	Jibbs Featuring Jibbs	Producer, writer ("Firr Az That Thang")
	Jeannie Ortega	No Place Like BKLYN	Producer, co-writer ("Can U?")
	Lady Sovereign	Public Warning	Producer, co-writer ("Love Me or Hate Me", "Those Were the Days")
	Daughtry	Daughtry	Co-written ("Feels Like Tonight")
2007	Avril Lavigne	The Best Damn Thing	Producer, co-writer, ("Keep Holding On", "Girlfriend", "I Can Do Better", "I Don't Have to Try, "I Will Be", "Runaway", "Alone") Producer ("Hot")
	Megan McCauley	Better Than Blood	Co-producer, co-writer ("Tap That")
	Sugababes	Change	Producer, co-writer ("About You Now", "Surprise (Goodbye)", "Open the Door")
	Santana	Ultimate Santana	Co-producer ("This Boy's Fire")
	Leona Lewis	Spirit	Producer, co-writer ("I Will Be")
	Miranda Cosgrove	iCarly	Producer, co-writer ("About You Now")
	Skye Sweetnam	Sound Soldier	Co-writer ("Girl Like Me")
2008	Lil Mama	VYP (Voice of the Young People)	Producer, ("Broken Pieces") producer, co-writer ("G-Slide (Tour Bus)")
	Katy Perry	One of the Boys	Producer, co-writer ("I Kissed a Girl" , "Hot n Cold")
	Vanessa Hudgens	Identified	Producer, co-writer ("Identified", "First Bad Habit", "Don't Ask Why", "Amazed", "Set it Off")
	Lesley Roy	Unbeautiful	Producer, co-writer ("Slow Goodbye")
	Britney Spears	Circus	Co-producer, co-writer, ("Circus", "Shattered Glass") Producer, co-writer ("Lace and Leather")
2009	Kelly Clarkson	All I Ever Wanted	Producer, co-writer ("My Life Would Suck Without You")
	Flo Rida	R.O.O.T.S.	Producer, co-writer, ("Right Round") Co-producer, co-writer ("Touch Me")
	Lady Sovereign	Jigsaw	Co-producer ("So Human", "Pennies")
	Ciara	Fantasy Ride	Co-producer, co-writer ("Tell Me What Your Name Is")
	Jordin Sparks	Battlefield	Co-writer ("Watch You Go")
	Pitbull	Rebelution	Co-producer ("Girls")
	Miley Cyrus	The Time of Our Lives	Producer, co-writer ("Party in the U.S.A.", "The Time of Our Lives")
	Weezer	Raditude	Producer, co-writer, ("I'm Your Daddy"), co-writer ("Get Me Some")
	Adam Lambert	For Your Entertainment	Producer, co-writer ("For Your Entertainment")
2010	Ke$ha	Animal	Executive producer, producer, co-writer ("Tik Tok", "Your Love Is My Drug", "Take It Off", "Kiss N Tell", "Hungover", "Blind", "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes", "Animal")
	Miranda Cosgrove	Sparks Fly	Producer, co-writer ("Kissin' U")
	Three 6 Mafia	Laws of Power	Producer, co-writer ("Shots After Shots", "Go To Work")
	3OH!3	Streets of Gold	Producer, co-writer ("My First Kiss", "Streets of Gold")
	B.o.B	B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray	Producer ("Magic")
	Lil Jon	Crunk Rock	Co-producer, co-writer ("Hey")
	Katy Perry	Teenage Dream	Co-producer, co-writer ("Teenage Dream", "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", "California Gurls", "E.T.", "The One That Got Away")
	Taio Cruz	Rokstarr	Co-producer ("Dynamite")
	Victoria Justice	Victorious	Co-producer, co-writer ("Make It Shine", "Leave It All to Shine")
	Ke$ha	Cannibal	Co-producer, co-writer ("We R Who We R", "Sleazy", "Blow", "Crazy Beautiful Life", "Grow a Pear", "Animal (Billboard Remix)")
	Flo Rida	Only One Flo (Part 1)	Co-producer, co-writer ("Who Dat Girl")
	T.I. Featuring Eminem	No Mercy	Producer, co-writer ("That's All She Wrote")
2011	Britney Spears	Femme Fatale	Co-producer ("Till the World Ends", "Hold It Against Me", "Inside Out", "Seal It with a Kiss", "Gasoline")
	Jessie J	Who You Are	Producer, co-writer ("Abracadabra", "Price Tag")
	Pitbull	Planet Pit	Producer, Writer ("Come N Go")
	Sabi	Upcoming Debut Album	Producer, ("Wild Heart")
	Jessie J	Who You Are (Platinum Edition)	Producer ("Domino")[15]
	Marina & the Diamonds	Electra Heart	Producer, ("Blackmail")
	Flo Rida	Only One Rida (Part 2)	Co-producer ("Good Feeling")
	B.o.B	Strange Clouds	Co-producer ("Strange Clouds")
	Taio Cruz	TY.O	Co-producer ("Hangover")
	Rihanna	Talk That Talk	Producer, writer ("You Da One", "Where Have You Been", "Fool in Love")

Top Ten Singles

The following singles peaked inside the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

Number-one singles

• "Girlfriend"
• "My Life Would Suck Without You"
• "I Kissed a Girl"
• "Right Round"
• "Tik Tok"
• "We R Who We R"
• "California Gurls"
• "Teenage Dream"
• "E.T."
• "Hold It Against Me"
• "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"

Top 10 Hits

• "Since U Been Gone"
• "Behind These Hazel Eyes"
• "Who Knew"
• "U + Ur Hand"
• "Hot n Cold"
• "Circus"
• "Party in the U.S.A."
• "Your Love Is My Drug"
• "Take It Off"
• "My First Kiss"
• "Magic"
• "Dynamite"
• "Blow"
• "Till the World Ends"
• "Strange Clouds"

References

1. ^ Billboard Charts: 2010 Hot 100 Songwriters
2. ^ Billboard Charts: 2010 Hot 100 Producers
3. ^ ^{a b} Rosen, Jody (December 16, 2009). "The Music Club" Slate. Retrieved on December 22, 2009.
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Sternbergh, Adam (June 20, 2010). "The Hit Whisperer" New York Magazine.
5. ^ Chris Willman (September 3, 2010). "Dr. Luke: The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/features/dr-luke-the-billboard-cover-story-1004112877.story#/features/dr-luke-the-billboard-cover-story-1004112877.story?page=2. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "G-Card Manual". TC Electronic. p. 17. Retrieved on December 26, 2009.
7. ^ "Lukasz Gottwald: Saturday Night Livewire". Yamaha All Access. 2001. Retrieved on December 12, 2009.
8. ^ ^{a b} Fennessey, Sean (May 18, 2010). "Surveying the Dr. Luke Moment: A Critical Look At Lazers, Glitter, and the Un-Sexing of America's Pop Stars" Village Voice.
9. ^ Concepion, Mariel (January 8, 2011). "Dynamite Doc" Billboard.
10. ^ Billboard Charts: 2009 Hot 100 Producers
11. ^ "Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People". http://www.fastcompany.com/100/2010.  Retrieved on May 28, 2010.
12. ^ "Final Nominations List" (pdf). Grammy Award. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. http://www.grammy.com/files/53rdpresslist113010.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
13. ^ "Advertising Age". http://adage.com/influencers2010/article?article_id=147936. Retrieved 3 January 2011. 
14. ^ https://twitter.com/#!/TheDoctorLuke/status/132962949622005761
15. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfmQuSoys7g

External links

• Dr. Luke on Myspace
• Dr. Luke on Twitter
• Dr. Luke Discography

Persondata
Name	Luke, Dr.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	September 26, 1973
Place of birth	Westerly, Rhode Island, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death