When the Jackson 5 emerged from Gary, Indiana to the national stage in 1970, it was at least in part due to the artistry of Freddie Perren. As one member of the Motown songwriting/producing quartet known as the Corporation, Freddie Perren worked on the classics "I Want You Back", "ABC", and "The Love You Save." December 16th, at the age of 61, he passed away after a long illness. He had suffered from a severely debilitating stroke 11 years earlier.
Freddie Perren first made his mark in the Disco world in 1975 producing "Love Machine" for the Miracles. It reached the Disco top 20 as well as the top 10 on both R&B and Pop charts. In late 1978, working with Dino Fekaris, he co-produced and co-wrote Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," one of the biggest Disco hits of all time. At nearly the same time the pair were also responsible for producing and writing Peaches and Herb's "Shake Your Groove Thing," another of the most durable Disco hits.
The Freddie Perren hit parade also includes a number of other major R&B and Pop hits from Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You" to the Sylvers' "Boogie Fever." Funky R&B with a smooth, shimmering Disco sheen is a hallmark of the Freddie Perren sound.
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