No. 10 Norman Whitfield
Yep. Another Motown songwriter. Whitfield (along with his partner, Barrett Strong) took over the writing for the Temptations from Smokey Robinson circa 1966, co-writing hits like “I Wish It Would Rain” before pushing the group into more psychedelic and funk-oriented territory. Known for elaborate and lush productions, he was also capable of churning out gorgeous ballads like “Just My Imagination” and “I’m Going Down.”
Notable songs: “Just My Imagination,” “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” (The Temptations), “Smiling Faces Sometimes” (The Undisputed Truth), “I Wanna Get Next To You” (Rose Royce)
