George Motola

George Motola (November 15, 1919 – February 15, 1991) was an American record producer, songwriter and sound engineer from the 1950s until his death.

Motola, whose last name is often misspelled as Mottola, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, one of five brothers born to parents who had migrated to the USA from Italy. He started his business career as a used car dealer, but soon found out that music was his real interest. By the mid-1950s he was working as a producer at Modern Records in Los Angeles, where he supervised acts like Jesse Belvin, Young Jessie and Jimmy Beasley.

His most famous composition is "Goodnight My Love", which was originally recorded by Jesse Belvin in 1956 (# 7 R&B). Subsequent versions by the McGuire Sisters (1957), Ray Peterson (1959), The Fleetwoods (1963), Ben E. King (1966), Paul Anka (1969), The Four Seasons (1963), and Paula Abdul (1991), all made the Billboard Top 100. The writing credit goes to George Motola and John Marascalco. The official version seems to be that Motola had written "Goodnight My Love" as early as 1946 but had never been able to finish it. Belvin provided the lines for the bridge that completed the song but asked for $400 instead of co-authorship credit. Motola did not have the money, but John Marascalco did, paid Belvin and thus became listed as co-writer.

Motola was instrumental in the creation of The Shields, a group he formed with the sole purpose of covering "You Cheated" by The Slades for his own Tender label. The group included Frankie Ervin (lead singer), Jesse Belvin and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Sold to Randy Wood's Dot Records label, "You Cheated" became a # 12 pop hit; the B-side, "That's the Way It's Gonna Be", was co-written by Motola.

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