William Stevenson (songwriter)

William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company[1] until 1967.

He was head of the A&R department there during the company's "glory" years of the mid-1960s when artists such as the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder and Martha and the Vandellas came to the fore.

Stevenson was also responsible for organizing and establishing the company's in-house studio band, which came to be known as the Funk Brothers.

He was appointed head of Venture Records in 1969, a subsidiary of MGM, with a brief to develop their share of the soul and rhythm and blues market, continuing in this role until the mid-1970s.

The latter include Swann, Showgirls, Wings and Things, The Gospel Truth, TKO, and Chocolate City.