John William Bristol (February 3, 1939 – March 21, 2004)[1] was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
His producer and/or writer credits included the Velvelettes' "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" (1966); Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Don't Want to Do Wrong" (1971) and "Daddy Could Swear, I Declare" (1973); and Jr. Walker & the All Stars, who charted with a number of Bristol-written singles and albums, including "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" (1969), "Gotta Hold On to This Feeling" (1970), "Way Back Home" (1971) and "Walk in the Night" (1971).
Notably, Bristol was the producer and co-writer of the final singles for both Diana Ross & the Supremes and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, before each group lost its namesake lead singer.
[5] Bristol is the male voice on the Supremes' version of "Someday We'll Be Together", singing response to Diana Ross' lead vocal.
[4] He worked with a number of emerging singers that included Randy Crawford, for whom Bristol wrote "Caught in Love's Triangle", as well as producing and writing for established performers such as: Tom Jones, Marlena Shaw, Johnny Mathis, Jerry Butler and Boz Scaggs.
He maintained a parallel role as a producer during this period, working mainly for artists signed to Columbia Records, including Boz Scaggs.
He continued to be held in high regard as a producer, and some of the other acts with whom he worked included: Tavares, Margie Joseph, The Jackson Sisters and two duets with Linda Evans, “Sweet and Deep” and “Share with Me My Dream” on his 1981 album “Free to Be Me”.
His duet with Amii Stewart on a medley of "My Guy - My Girl" reached number 39 on the UK Singles Chart in 1980.
An accompanying album failed to consolidate his status, and it would be eight years before new product by Bristol appeared, with a 12" single "I'm Just a Musician" for Hansa.