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.

Brian August Potter was born on May 25, 1939, in Billericay, Essex, England, in a pub run by his parents, Frederick and Carmen. He attended the nearby Brentwood School with his younger brother, Howard, and taught himself to play the drums as a teenager.

While writing music and touring across the U.K. and Europe - once as a drummer for Chuck Berry - he worked as an assistant to composer Lionel Bart, creator of the musical Oliver!

In 1965, Potter had his first hit as a songwriter, partnering with Ian Samwell on  Whatcha Gonna Do About It  by Small Faces. Not long after, he was introduced to the Brooklyn-born Lambert, a singer and songwriter then stationed overseas with the U.S. Army.

They decided to write and produce songs together, and once Lambert was discharged, Potter immigrated to California.

Brian Potter (right) and Dennis Lambert.

Their first big hit was 1969's  One Tin Soldier  by the Origin

#hollywoodreporter  #podcastdailynews