Al Cleveland

Who was Al Cleveland?

Al Cleveland is a former American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most popular co-compositions are 1967's "I Second That Emotion" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and 1971's "What's Going On" performed by Marvin Gaye.

Cleveland was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, to Alfred W. and Dorothy Cleveland. Al has two sisters, Edna Grate and Mamie Jett, as well as one brother, Robert Cleveland. His son Al Cleveland Jr. lives in Las Vegas.

He had a long and distinguished writing career, initially for New York artists on the Wand/Sceptre labels such as such as Dionne Warwick and Tommy Hunt, as well as Gene Pitney before moving to Motown, where he provided songs for Smokey & The Miracles, the Marvelettes, David Ruffin, the Four Tops and Chuck Jackson before hitting the big time with a co-authorship of Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On?" and "Save the Children."

In later years, he produced Native American music. He died of heart disease in Las Vegas at the age of 66.