Motown legend Lamont Dozier has died aged 83.
Tributes poured in on social media to the "master songwriter"- whose mega-hits include Baby Love and Two Hearts- from friends and heartbroken fans.
A cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Producer Brandon Williams wrote: "Another man that sat down and taught me a lot about music is gone.
"The great Lamont Dozier. I'll never forget meeting and working with him along with the Holland Brothers in 2006. Thank you for all you did for me and for the world at large. You definitely made this place better."
While a fan typed: "RIP Lamont Dozier. Motown Royalty and sweet human", and another added: "My prayers go out to his family and friends. There would be no Motown sound without his pen and musical genius. Rest in Power."
Born in Detroit, Lamont lived in California and is survived by his wife and three children.
Lamont was a huge name in the music industry, having co-written and produced 14 US Billboard number 1 hits and four number ones in the UK.
The Grammy-award winning musician was one third of song-writing team Holland-Dozier-Holland, who produced numerous smash hit records with artists such as Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and The Isley Brothers.
Their music catalogue includes iconic songs such as Baby Love, Reach Out I'll Be There, Where Did Our Love Go and Baby I Need Your Loving.
Lamont's passion for music began from an early age. He grew up singing in the Baptist gospel choir and listening to his father's jazz music.
Born in Detroit, he signed to Berry Gordon's Motown label in 1962 as a singer, producer and songwriter.
Lamont's start in the industry was slow, after the first few records he recorded were unsuccessful.
He then started working together with Brian and Eddie as the musical arranger and producer, while Eddie worked on lyrics and vocal production.
They first made their mark the following year with Martha and The Vandellas' early hits, including Come and Get These Memories and Heatwave.
In 1964, they scored their first big win with the Supremes' hit Where Did Our Love Go which became the first of ten number 1 pop hits which Holland–Dozier–Holland would write and produce for the band over the next three years or so.
He left the duo in 1973 and went on to record a number of albums as a performer in his own right, also writing much of the material.
In 1980, Lamont collaborated with Phil Collins on the hit Two Hearts for the film soundtrack Buster.
Two Hearts received a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
He was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 1990 alongside the Holland brothers.
In recent years, Lamont continued to work with some of the biggest names in music - from Kanye West to Black Eyed Peas.
