The Mizell Brothers, "Fonce" and Larry
Born a year apart in Englewood, New Jersey, the boys grew up playing a variety of horns to their parents' music. While attending Howard University in the late 1960s, both brothers Alphonso ("Fonce" b. 1943) and Larry Mizell (b. 1944) found themselves under the tutelage of professor Donald Byrd, himself a celebrated Jazz trumpeter. The boys found themselves participating in Donald Byrd's newly established Black Music Department before graduating, Fonce with a music degree, Larry with a degree in engineering. Fonce and Howard classmate Freddie Perren were recruited by Motown Records executive Deke Richards to help with songwriting duties at the Detroit hit-machine. There the two became part of music history as part of "The Corporation": a legendary writing-production team that included Motown founder Barry Gordy, Deke, Fonce, and Freddie. Together The Corporation wrote and produced a string of songs and albums for the Jackson 5 and its individual members' ...