Sylvia Moy

Sylvia Moy’s place in Motown history is cemented by her work as a writer and producer. Moy grew up on the northeast side of Detroit with her eight brothers and sisters, performing on pots and pans to keep themselves busy and musical. Once she reached school, she played jazz and classical, but found her true calling in the seminal R&B sounds of Hitsville USA. There, Moy was part of the creative team that wrote such classics as “My Cherie Amour” for Stevie Wonder and “It Takes Two” for Marvin Gaye. She was the first female to have the title of “record producer” at the label, and was one of the busiest and well-known songwriters of the time. Moy went on to write the theme songs for many television shows like Blossom, The Wonder Years, and Growing Pains. She was also involved with music for the movies It Takes Two, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and Dead Presidents. Moy has earned six Grammy nominations, 20 BMI awards, and a place in the National Songwriters Hall of Fame. She made a solid investment in the future of the arts when she co-founded the Center for Creative Communications, also known as “Masterworks,” which trains young adults in the field of telecommunications and media arts.