Sylvia Moy (1938-2017)

In 1963, while in her mid-20s, Sylvia Moy signed a contract with Motown Records, after she was discovered by Marvin Gaye and one of the label’s behind-the-scenes’ musicians, William Stevenson.  She signed to Motown as both a recording artist and songwriter, but Berry Gordy and co. decided to utilize her in the latter capacity.  And she went on to become “the first woman… to write and produce for Motown acts”.

Motown had put “Little Stevie Wonder” on in 1961, the year he turned 11, i.e. when he was still prepubescent.  So, as is the norm, when Stevie went through puberty, his voice changed.  Around that time, circa mid-1963 to mid-1965, after dropping his first number one hit, Fingertips – Part 2  in 1963, Wonder’s singles flopped.   He also appeared in a couple of Frankie Avalon movies in 1964, Bikini Beach and Muscle Beach Party, which failed to impress.  After all of that transpired, Motown was on the verge of dropping him from the label.  But according to Berry’s autobiography, it was Sylvia Moy who convinced him otherwise.  Afterwards, she was instrumental in composing Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (1965), the song that put Stevie back on map.  And it was also during this time that Stevie Wonder dropped the “Little” from his stage name.

Moy co-wrote innumerable songs for Motown, doing so for a range of artists including Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Temptations and The Jackson 5 (as well as Michael individually).  But she is primarily remembered for being a collaborator of Stevie Wonder.  For instance, about half of the most-notable hits in her discography are Stevie Wonder songs, including: