American multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Michael Lloyd, who had been a member of psychedelic rock band The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band when a teenager in the mid and late 1960s, was in 1970 appointed vice-president responsible for A&R at MGM Records by his mentor Mike Curb.
Lloyd continued to work as a record producer, notably with The Osmonds, but also maintained a career as a performer.
In 1973 he formed a recording and songwriting trio, Friends, with Darryl Cotton and Steve Kipner.
The trio's second album, Number Two, also appeared in 1976, and in April 1977 they released another single, "Crying in the Rain", written by Carole King and Howie Greenfield and first recorded by the Everly Brothers.
Lloyd continued to work in Los Angeles, and produced hit records by Shaun Cassidy and Leif Garrett, as well as the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing.