Masser, Michael (24th March 1941-9th July 2015)

Arranger, producer and songwriter born in Chicago who was responsible for some of the most recognizable ballads of the ’70s and ’80s.

His first big hit, co-written with Ron Miller, was “Touch Me in the Morning”, which Diana Ross took to No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart. It was the beginning of a lucrative collaboration. Two years later, Ross would score another No. 1 with the Gerry Goffin-Michael Masser written “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)”, which Masser also produced.

It was not to be the last of his movie successes. He also wrote the theme song to Muhammad Ali’s autobiopic The Greatest, known as “The Greatest Love Of All”, and recorded by George Benson. Although it was minor hit for Benson, Whitney Houston later took it to No. 1, which she also did with two other Masser-written songs, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” and “Saving All My Love For You”.

In the 1980s, Masser struck gold with the Peabo Bryson/Roberta Flack mega-smash “Tonight I Celebrate My Love”, Bryson’s “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again”, Natalie Cole’s “Miss You Like Crazy” and Glenn Medeiros’s “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You”.

In 2007, Michael Masser was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Although he continued to write in his studio in Rancho Mirage, he became disenchanted with the music business, and sold his catalogue of songs to Universal Music Publishing Group.

He died at his home in July 2015 when he was 74 years old.

Diana Ross recordings
It’s My Turn (Michael Masser/Carole Bayer Sager)

Sources:

Masser, Michael (24th March 1941-9th July 2015)

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