R Dean Taylor passes on

I've just found out that R Dean Taylor, a significant singer, songwriter and record producer at Motown during the sixties and seventies has died at the age of 82. Taylor was a white Canadian who made a a couple of records in Toronto before relocating to Detroit and being hired as a songwriter and recording artist at Motown in 1964. His first record on the VIP subsidiary 'Let's Go Somewhere' was a regional hit but during the following few years he had major success in the US but especially the UK with three very catchy records - 'Indiana Wants Me', the self-produced 'Gotta See Jane' and 'There'a A Ghost In My House'. After Holland Dozier and Holland left Motown Taylor became part of Motown's key songwriting team with Diana Ross and the Supremes' 'Love Child','I'll Turn to Stone' by the Four Tops, 'Just Look What You've Done' by Brenda Holloway and 'All I Need' by the Temptations among others. He was signed to Rare Earth, Motown's subsidiary for white artists, and 'Indiana Wants Me' was the first Motown number one by a white artist in the US. He continued recording for Rare Earth and had some success in his native Canada and formed his own record company Jane. His death followed a bout of Covid last year. RIP Richard Dean Taylor.