{{Short description|English singer, composer and songwriter (1941–2001)}} {{For|the water skier|Mike Hazelwood}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox musical artist |image= | |name = Mike Hazlewood ||caption = |background = solo_singer |death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2001|5|6|1941|12|24}} |death_place = [[Florence]], Italy |instrument = Vocals, guitar |genre = {{hlist|[[Pop music|Pop]]|[[soft rock]]}} |occupation = Singer, songwriter, composer |years_active = 1966–2001 |past_member_of= [[The Family Dogg]], Hammond & Hazlewood |website = }}
'''Mike Hazlewood''' (24 December 1941 – 6 May 2001)<ref name="amg">[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mike-hazelwood-mn0000486732 Mike Hazelwood – Credits]. AllMusic (6 May 2001). Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> was a British singer-songwriter and composer. He variously worked with [[Albert Hammond]], [[T-Bone Burnett]], [[Van Dyke Parks]] and [[Harry Nilsson]].<ref name="Dead"/>
==Biography== Educated at [[Hazelwick School]], in [[Crawley]], West Sussex, Hazlewood began his career as a DJ at the radio station [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] in the early 1960s. In 1966, he founded the group [[the Family Dogg]] with [[Albert Hammond]] and [[Steve Rowland (record producer)|Steve Rowland]].<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-family-dogg-mn0000502187 The Family Dogg – Music Biography, Credits and Discography]. AllMusic (18 May 1944). Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> In addition, he often wrote songs in collaboration with Hammond such as "Green Green Trees", "[[Little Arrows]]" for [[Leapy Lee]],<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Leapy-Lee-Little-Arrows/release/1854648 Leapy Lee – Little Arrows (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> and "[[Gimme Dat Ding (song)|Gimme Dat Ding]]" for [[the Pipkins]].<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Pipkins-Gimme-Dat-Ding/release/1718760 Pipkins, The – Gimme Dat Ding (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> Hammond and Hazlewood wrote "[[The Air That I Breathe]]" which was originally released by Hammond in 1972, and then on [[Phil Everly]]'s 1973 solo album ''Star Spangled Springer''.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Phil-Everly-The-Air-That-I-Breathe/release/1261501 Phil Everly – The Air That I Breathe (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> The song was subsequently a huge [[hit record|hit]] for [[the Hollies]].<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Hollies-The-Air-That-I-Breathe/release/542044 Hollies, The – The Air That I Breathe (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref>
Hazlewood's collaboration with Hammond resulted in co-written songs for the latter such as "[[It Never Rains in Southern California]]"<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Albert-Hammond-It-Never-Rains-In-Southern-California-Anyone-Here-In-The-Audience/release/1509297 Albert Hammond – It Never Rains In Southern California (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> and "[[The Free Electric Band]]".<ref name="amg"/><ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Albert-Hammond-The-Free-Electric-Band/release/966208 Albert Hammond – The Free Electric Band (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> Hazlewood also recorded a single with Hammond under the moniker 'Hammond-Hazlewood' called 'Hey Love let me in'.
Hazlewood and Hammond also wrote the international hit song "[[Make Me an Island]]" for the Irish singer [[Joe Dolan]] in 1969,<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Joe-Dolan-Make-Me-An-Island/release/1263912 Joe Dolan – Make Me An Island (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> as well as his follow-up singles, "[[Teresa (song)|Teresa]]"<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Joe-Dolan-Teresa/release/3443138 Joe Dolan – Teresa (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> and "[[You're Such a Good Looking Woman]]".<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Joe-Dolan-Youre-Such-A-Good-Looking-Woman/release/2606195 Joe Dolan – You're Such A Good Looking Woman (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> The latter became a signature hit for Dolan, topping the Irish charts twice, in 1970 and 1997 when he re-recorded it with [[Dustin the Turkey]]. Hazlewood also wrote the song "Southern Lady", which was recorded by [[Rita Coolidge]].<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Rita-Coolidge-Were-All-Alone-Southern-Lady/release/1680277 Rita Coolidge – We're All Alone / Southern Lady (Vinyl) at Discogs]. discogs. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref>
During the late 1980s, Hazlewood held the theatrical rights to [[Mervyn Peake]]'s novel ''[[Mr. Pye]]'', and completed a musical theatre version of the book in collaboration with Howard Lee Sloan, the American-born pianist and composer.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}
Hazlewood and Hammond are also credited as co-writers of the 1992 [[Radiohead]] song, "[[Creep (Radiohead song)|Creep]]". Due to similarities to "The Air That I Breathe", Radiohead was successfully sued for [[plagiarism]].<ref>Wardle, Ben. (12 May 2009) [https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/may/12/coldplay-yusuf-islam Get off Coldplay's case – similar songs can co-exist peacefully | Music | guardian.co.uk]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.alberthammond.com/song.php?id=426 Albert Hammond Official Website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011042328/http://www.alberthammond.com/song.php?id=426 |date=11 October 2012 }}. Alberthammond.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref> "Creep" used a chord progression taken from "The Air That I Breathe" in its verse, and a melody from the latter in the bridge following the second chorus.<ref>English, Tim (2007). ''Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Stolen Melodies, Ripped-Off Riffs, and the Secret History of Rock and Roll'', p.149. {{ISBN|9781583480236}}.</ref>
On 6 May 2001, Hazlewood died aged 59 from a heart attack, during his holiday in [[Florence]], Italy.<ref name="Dead">[http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2001.html The Dead Rock Stars Club 2001]. Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{Albert Hammond}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hazlewood, Mike}} [[Category:1941 births]] [[Category:2001 deaths]] [[Category:Deaths in Tuscany]] [[Category:People educated at Hazelwick School]] [[Category:English male singer-songwriters]] [[Category:English male composers]] [[Category:British soft rock musicians]] [[Category:People from Cuckfield]] [[Category:20th-century English singers]] [[Category:20th-century English male singers]]