Brian Potter, the British songwriter and producer who teamed with Dennis Lambert on the Billy Jack theme “One Tin Soldier,” the Four Tops’ “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)” and Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy, has died. He was 87.
Potter died June 30 at a residence for seniors in Granada Hills after living with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s for several years, his daughter, Courtney Potter, announced.
Other hits written by Lambert & Potter included 1971’s “Don’t Pull Your Love” by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, which made it to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100; 1971’s “Two Divided by Love,” from The Grass Roots; 1974’s “Dream On,” by The Righteous Brothers; and 1975’s “It Only Takes a Minute” by Tavares, which peaked at No. 10.
They also produced Dusty Springfield’s 1973 album, Cameo; The Righteous Brothers’ 1974 LP Give It to the People (featuring the No. 3 single “Rock & Roll Heaven”); Player’s 1977 debut album of the same name, which included the No. 1 single “Baby Come Back”; and Santana’s 1978 album, Inner Secrets.
Lambert & Potter were honored with recent nominations to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and their work was very much a part of the soundtrack of a generation.
