- Michael Masser
-
Michael Masser (born Michael William Masser on March 24, 1941 in Chicago)[1], a former stockbroker, is a composer and producer of popular music. He attended the University of Illinois College of Law, but left to pursue his interest in music.[2] Masser and his wife Ogniana live in Encino, California.[3]
Masser's first major composition hit, co-written with Ron Miller, was "Touch Me in the Morning," recorded by Diana Ross. He co-wrote several other hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s, including four made famous by Whitney Houston, "Greatest Love of All," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "All at Once," and "Saving All My Love for You."
Other hit songs include "Hold Me" (Teddy Pendergrass and Whitney Houston), "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" (Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson), "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" (Peabo Bryson), "In Your Eyes" (Jeffrey Osborne, George Benson), "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" (George Benson, Glenn Medeiros), "Miss You Like Crazy" (Natalie Cole) and "Someone That I Used To Love" (Natalie Cole), "The Greatest Love of All" (George Benson), "So Sad the Song" (Teddy Pendergrass, Gladys Knight), and "It's My Turn" and "Last Time I Saw Him" (Diana Ross). A country cover of "Last Time I Saw Him" by Dottie West also became a hit, peaking at #8 on the country charts. Masser was nominated for an Academy Award in 1976 for Best Music, Original Song, for "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)," which he wrote with Gerry Goffin. The song had actually been first recorded (also in 1975) by fellow Motown labelmate Thelma Houston as a planned single but was pulled before release so that Diana Ross could release it as a theme song (and single) for her film Mahogany.
Among the many recordings that he has produced are Barbra Streisand's "Someone That I Used to Love" (originally a hit for Natalie Cole) and the duet by Judy Collins and T. G. Sheppard, "Home Again."
Masser was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.[4]
Songs Composed
Song Artist/Album/Label/Year Writers "Hold Me" Whitney Houston & Teddy Pendergrass, Whitney Houston, Arista 1984 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "Saving All My Love For You" Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston, Arista 1985 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "The Greatest Love of All" Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston, Arista 1986 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "All At Once" Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston, Arista 1986 Michael Masser/Jeffrey Osborne "Didn't We Almost Have It All" Whitney Houston, Whitney, Arista 1987 Michael Masser/Will Jennings "You're Still My Man" Whitney Houston, Whitney, Arista 1989 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "After We Make Love" Whitney Houston, I'm Your Baby Tonight, Arista 1991 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Some Changes Are For Good" Dionne Warwick, Hot! Live and Otherwise, Arista 1981 Michael Masser/Carole Bayer Sager "This Time Is Ours" Dionne Warwick, Some Changes Are For Good (B-side) - later released on No Night So Long (CD), Arista 1981 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "There's A Long Road Ahead Of Us" Dionne Warwick, Hot! Live and Otherwise, Arista 1981 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Now We're Starting Over Again" Dionne Warwick, Hot! Live and Otherwise, Arista 1981 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Touch Me In The Morning" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1973 Michael Masser/Ron Miller "Last Time I Saw Him" Diana Ross, Last Time I Saw Him, Motown 1974 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1975 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" Diana Ross, single 1975 & 'Ross' album 1978, Motown Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Together" Diana Ross, single 1975 & 'Ross' album 1978, Motown Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Do You Know Where You're Going To (Theme From Mahogany)" Diana Ross, Mahogany, Motown 1975 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell In Love)" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1976 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "After You" Diana Ross, Diana Ross, Motown 1976 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "To Love Again" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1978 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "It's My Turn" Diana Ross, To Love Again, It's My Turn (soundtrack), Motown 1980 Michael Masser/Carole Bayer Sager "Stay With Me" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1981 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "One More Chance" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1981 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Crying My Heart Out For You" Diana Ross, To Love Again, Motown 1981 Michael Masser/Allee Willis "In Your Arms" Diana Ross, Silk Electric, RCA 1983 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "First You Have To Say You Love Me" Neil Diamond, Heartlight, Columbia 1982 Michael Masser/Neil Diamond "Can't Stop Thinking About You" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "Coming Alive" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Now We're Starting Over Again" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "He's Just Not You" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Randy Goodrum "I'm Not The Same Girl" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Randy Goodrum "Toughen Up" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Rand Goodrum "Together" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "I Thought It Took A Little Time" Stacy Lattisaw, I'm Not The Same Girl, Cotillion 1985 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" Glenn Medeiros, Glenn Medeiros, Amherst 1987 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "A Long and Lasting Love" Glenn Medeiros, Not Me, Amherst 1989 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin (verses)/Dan Hill (chorus) "The Greatest Love of All" George Benson, The Greatest (soundtrack), Arista 1977 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "I Always Knew I Had It In Me" George Benson, The Greatest (soundtrack), Arista 1977 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "In Your Eyes" George Benson, In Your Eyes, Warner Brothers 1983 Michael Masser/Dan Hill "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" George Benson, 20/20, Warner Brothers 1985 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "You Are the Love of My Life" George Benson & Roberta Flack, 20/20, Warner Brothers 1985 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "Ali's Theme (Instrumental)" Michael Masser, The Greatest (soundtrack), Arista 1977 Michael Masser "After You" Roberta Flack, Blue Lights in the Basement, Atlantic 1978 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Stay With Me" Roberta Flack, Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway, Atlantic 1979 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack, Born to Love, EMI 1983 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Comin' Alive" Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack, Born to Love, EMI 1983 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "If Ever You're In My Arms Again" Peabo Bryson, Straight From The Heart, Elektra 1984 Michael Masser/Tom Snow/Cynthia Weil "Learning The Ways of Love" Peabo Bryson, Straight From The Heart, Elektra 1984 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "You're My Only Girl (Jenny)" Barry Manilow, Greatest Hits Vol. 3, Arista 1989 Michael Masser/Barry Manilow/John Bettis "Nobody Wants To Be Alone" Crystal Gayle, Nobody Wants To Be Alone, Warner Brothers 1985 Michael Masser/Rhonda Fleming "A Long and Lasting Love" Crystal Gayle, Nobody Wants To Be Alone, Warner Brothers 1985 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "You Were There For Me" Crystal Gayle, Nobody Wants To Be Alone, Warner Brothers 1985 Michael Masser/Cynthia Weil "A New Way To Say I Love You" Crystal Gayle, Nobody Wants To Be Alone, Warner Brothers 1985 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Crazy" Gene Wilder, Stir Crazy (Soundtrack), Quality Records 1981 Michael Masser/Randy Goodrum "Love" Randy Goodrum, Stir Crazy (Soundtrack), Quality Records, 1981 Michael Masser/Randy Goodrum "Nothing Can Stop Us Now" Kiki Dee, Stir Crazy (Soundtrack), Quality Records 1981 Michael Masser/Randy Goodrum "Hold Me" Teddy Pendergrass & Whitney Houston, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "In My Time" Teddy Pendergrass, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/Cynthia Weil "So Sad The Song" Teddy Pendergrass, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Hot Love" Teddy Pendergrass, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/R. Parker, Jr/Linda Creed "Stay With Me" Teddy Pendergrass, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Love" Teddy Pendergrass, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/Randy Goodrum "This Time Is Ours" Teddy Pendergrass, Love Language, Elektra/Asylum 1984 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "In Your Eyes" Jeffrey Osborne, So Emotional, A&M Records 1987 Michael Masser/Dan Hill "In Your Eyes" Dan Hill, Love in the Shadows, Polygram Records 1983 Michael Masser/Dan Hill "Piano Man" Thelma Houston, A-side single release (later on "Motown Superstar Series" LP), Mowest/Motown 1973 Michael Masser/K. L. Dunham "I'm Just a Part of Yesterday" Thelma Houston, B-side single release (later on "Best of Thelma Houston" LP), Mowest/Motown 1973 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "No One's Gonna Be a Fool Forever" Thelma Houston, A-side single release (later on "Best Of Thelma Houston" LP), Mowest/Motown 1972 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Your Eyes" Thelma Houston, The Devil In Me, Motown 1977 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Someone That I Used to Love" Natalie Cole, Don't Look Back, Capitol 1980 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Miss You Like Crazy" Natalie Cole, Good To Be Back, EMI 1989 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin/Preston Glass "Starting Over Again" Natalie Cole, Good To Be Back, EMI 1989 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "No More Blue Christmas'" Natalie Cole, single release, EMI 1990 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Home Again" Judy Collins & T. G. Sheppard, Home Again, Elektra 1984 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "A Long and Lasting Love" Jane Olivor, Best Side of Goodbye, Columbia 1980 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "The Greatest Love of All" Jane Olivor, Best Side of Goodbye, Columbia 1980 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "To Love Again" Jane Olivor, Best Side of Goodbye, Columbia 1980 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Last Time I Saw Him" Dottie West, Essential, RCA 1974 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "So Sad The Song" Gladys Knight & The Pips, Pipe Dreams, Buddah 1976 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" Gladys Knight & The Pips, The One and Only, Buddah 1977 Michael Masser/Pam Sawyer "Someone to Love" Phyllis Hyman, Forever With You, Philadelphia International 1998 Michael Masser/Linda Creed "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" Mariah Carey, Rainbow (French edition - hidden bonus track), Columbia 1999 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Someone That I Used To Love" Barbra Streisand, A Collection: Greatest Hits & More, Columbia 1989 Michael Masser/Gerry Goffin "Halfway Through the Night" Barbra Streisand, (unreleased), Columbia 1989 Michael Masser/Cynthia Weil References
- ^ "Michael Masser Overview". IMDb (The Internet Movie Database). http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0557247/. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
- ^ Kim, Jae-Ha (November 30, 1988). "Ex-stockbroker finds "Greatest Love" in pop music". Chicago Sun-Times. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB36E17299ECE34&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ Ryon, Ruth (December 7, 2003). "Hot Property: An 'ER' physician calls in New York". L.A. Times Archives (Los Angeles Times). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/483569281.html?dids=483569281:483569281&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Dec+07%2C+2003&author=Ruth+Ryon&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Hot+Property%3B+An+'ER'+physician+calls+in+New+York&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "Inductees to Songwriters Hall Announced". The Washington Post. March 19, 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/19/AR2007031901201_pf.html. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
External links
Categories:- 1941 births
- Living people
- American composers
- American record producers
- Jewish composers and songwriters
- American Jews
- University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign alumni
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
