Sad news.

I don't think I knew the name (?) but I certainly knew his songs. What talent.

Rest in peace.

Thanks for the heads-up. I didn't recognize the writer, but who doesn't know the SONGS! (Well ,who 'of a certain age'!)

I didn't know the name either, but those are all great songs and I loved every one of them back in the day. He sure added a lot of fun and happiness to my life with his music.

Rest in peace, Mr. Messina.

He was a guitarist with the Motown house band, The Funk Brothers. Sounds of our lives.

Wow! I didn't realize he wrote so many great pop tunes. He certainly left a great legacy.

Yes, the songs of our lives, those of us of a certain age. I had no idea he was involved in so many hits.

No, I don't believe Messina wrote any of those songs. Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote many (though not all) early Motown hits before they split with Gordy and then later with one another.

As I understand it, Messina was a session guitar player, a regular for Motown recordings. He's to be lauded and forever remembered as an important team member of a major force that greatly influenced modern music. And also as a Caucasian person who, at a time of rampant segregation in the US, plied his creative trade with success and acceptance by a predominantly African American company. The musician in that group of session players (some called the Funk Brothers) who was most influential was James Jamerson, the bass guitar player. Jamerson's innovative playing style, completely original and unique to himself at the time, defined and influenced rock, pop, funk and R+B bass guitar playing from then until the present for all bass players that followed. Considered perhaps the best of all time.

Both and others are mostly little known and unsung contributors who should have gotten more recognition, then and now.

Messina was a very talented and innovative musician, but he didn't write the music. He helped create those hits but not as a songwriter. 🎸

I see - I skimmed that list and just assumed bragu meant he wrote them. I was surprised, as I'd thought of him only as a musician.

Well, you know what happens when we ass-u-me...😄

Interesting- thanks for clarifying.