Frank Edward Wilson (December 5, 1940 – September 27, 2012) was an African American songwriter and record producer for Motown Records.

Biography

Wilson was born in Houston to James Wilson and Samantha Gibbs. While still in his teens, he moved to Los Angeles, California.

In 1965, Berry Gordy asked the producers Hal Davis and Marc Gordon to set up an office of Motown in Los Angeles. Wilson accepted an offer to join the team. In December 1965, "Stevie" by Patrice Holloway (V.I.P. 25001) was the first single released from the West Coast operation and featured Wilson in the songwriting credits. Asked by Gordy to re-locate to Detroit, Wilson went on to write and produce hit records for Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Miracles, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Eddie Kendricks, and more. He became particularly important after Holland-Dozier-Holland left the company. Additionally, after leaving Motown, Wilson produced a gold disc earning album by Lenny Williams, former lead singer for Tower of Power, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr, former members of the Fifth Dimension, Alton McClain & Destiny, New Birth and the Grammy nominated album, Motown Comes Home.

Frank Wilson may refer to:

Francis Edward Wilson (April 20, 1901 – November 25, 1974) nicknamed "Squash", was a professional baseball player. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily as a left fielder. He played for the Boston Braves from 1924 to 1926, and the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns in 1928.

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Captain Sir Frank O'Brien Wilson CMG DSO JP (9 April 1876 – 7 April 1962) was a retired Royal Navy officer who settled in the Colony of Kenya. A volunteer in the East African Campaign of World War I, Wilson had a large property near Machakos, where he initially farmed ostriches and later raised cattle. He also played first-class cricket, and was a pioneer of cricket in Kenya.

Early life and cricket career

Wilson was born at Biarritz, France, and raised at Cliffe Hall, his father's property on the southern bank of the River Tees (lying west of Darlington, County Durham, in what is now the district of Richmondshire, North Yorkshire). His father, Col. John Gerald Wilson CB, was an officer in the York and Lancaster Regiment, and died of wounds during the Boer War, at Tweebosch. Frank Wilson was one of seven children, and the youngest of four brothers. The oldest brother, Lt. Richard Bassett Wilson, was also killed in the Boer War, at Rustenburg. The second brother, Lt.-Col. Sir Murrough John Wilson, was a Conservative MP for Richmond, while the third brother, Lt.-Col. Denis Daly Wilson MC, was killed in action in France during the First World War. The brothers' nephew through their youngest sister was James Ramsden, a Cabinet member as the final Secretary of State for War. Unlike his brothers, all army officers, Frank Wilson enlisted in the Royal Navy. He served from 1897 to 1910, including for a period on the China station.