Norman Whitfield

Norman Whitfield (born May 12th, 1940, in Harlem/New York - died September 16th, 2008, in Los Angeles) was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s.
He is credited as being one of the creators of the Motown Sound, as well as one of the major instrumental figues in the late-60s sub-genre of psychedelic soul.

Whitfield left Motown in 1973 and created Whitfield Records, garnering chart success with Rose Royce, who started out as Edwin Starr's backing group. He won a Grammy Award in 1976 for his work on the "Car Wash" film soundtrack. He later retired from music in the late '80s.

The final months of his life were spent at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, undergoing treatment for diabetes and other ailments.