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Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald (born September 26, 1973), better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and remixer. Luke's professional music career began in the late night television sketch comedy Saturday Night Live as its house band's lead guitarist in 1997 and producing remixes for artists such as Bon Jovi and Gravediggaz. He came into music prominence in 2004 for producing Kelly Clarkson's critically acclaimed hit single "Since U Been Gone" with Swedish record producer Max Martin.

After "Since U Been Gone", Luke continued to co-write and produce commercially successful records such as "Who Knew" (2006) for Pink, "Girlfriend" (2007) for Avril Lavigne, and "I Kissed a Girl" (2008) for Katy Perry, before leaving Saturday Night Live and reuniting with Clarkson for "My Life Would Suck Without You" (2009). His other notable works include "Dynamite" (2010) for Taio Cruz and projects for Britney Spears, B.o.B, Flo Rida, Jessie J, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, and Rihanna; while continuing to produce works with Perry, Lavigne, and Pink. Luke is also noted for signing recording artists such as Kesha and Sabi and playing a vital part in their careers.

Luke's work has been merited for various music industry awards. Music publication Billboard named him as one of the top performing producers of the 2000s. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awarded him Producer and Songwriter of the Year honors from 2009 to 2011. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical and Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

Life and career

Early life

Luke was born in Westerly, Rhode Island to an architect father and an interior-designer mother, but spent much of his formative years in New York City. He had originally wanted to be a drummer, but his parents refused to allow a drum kit in the house. At 13, he picked up his older sister's guitar and taught himself how to play. As a teenager, Luke would "listen to bad music over and over, if there was a guitar part admired, so could figure out what the guitar player was doing right."

Career beginnings and Saturday Night Live (1997–2007)

Luke attended the Manhattan School of Music for two years. After he was a student there, he auditioned for the Saturday Night Live Band and won out over 80 applicants, joining Saturday Night Live as the lead guitarist in 1997. Luke performed with the band for ten seasons, leaving at the end of the 2006–2007 season. As a guitarist, Luke performed with Herbie Hancock, Michael Bolton, Phoebe Snow, Jack McDuff and Shabba Ranks, and played with the house band for the TV series Amateur Night at the Apollo.

While working on Saturday Night Live, Luke performed on a number of jingles and advertisements and became a deejay fixture in New York. Luke also became heavily active in the underground hip-hop scene, producing tracks and remixes for various artists, including Mos Def, Black Star, KRS-One, and Zack de la Rocha as well as for artists such as Arrested Development and Nappy Roots. He released the 12" single "Wet Lapse", under the name Kasz, for Rawkus Records, and remixed the theme from the film Mortal Kombat. While deejaying at a house party, Luke met producer Max Martin and subsequently gave Martin a tour of New York clubs when Martin arrived in the city.

Producing, songwriting and recognition (2004–present)

Luke currently owns two publishing companies, Kasz Money Publishing for his own songs and Prescription Songs. Prescription Songs employs a network of 17 songwriters, including Kesha, Katy Perry and Benny Blanco. As of January 2011, he has garnered 21 Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 singles, becoming the producer with the third most such hits since the charts were created. Luke co-wrote and co-produced the Kelly Clarkson Hot 100 number two song, "Since U Been Gone" with Max Martin and provided the singer another hit in "Behind These Hazel Eyes". Subsequent songs by Pink, "Who Knew" and "U + Ur Hand" reached the Hot 100 top ten. He would go on to co-produce a number one for Avril Lavigne with the song "Girlfriend" as well as seven other songs on the Lavigne album. He also achieved a UK number one with the song "About You Now" for the Sugababes. Luke contributed two songs to Katy Perry's debut album, Hot 100 number one, "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold", as well as three songs to Britney Spears' 2008 album, Circus, including the title track. Luke also co-produced the US number one song "Right Round" by Flo Rida. His third co-production for Kelly Clarkson, "My Life Would Suck Without You" reached the top of the Hot 100 as well. In late 2009, his song for Miley Cyrus, "Party in the U.S.A." also written by Jessie J, reached number two on the chart. In December 2009, Billboard named him as one of the top 10 producers of the decade. In 2010, "Tik Tok", recorded by Kesha and co-produced by Dr. Luke, became the longest running debut number one single by a female artist since 1977.

On April 21, Luke was named Songwriter of the Year at the 2010 ASCAP Pop Music Awards and received 10 ASCAP Pop Music Awards for the year as the songwriter and publisher. Luke had received ten Pop Music Awards from ASCAP between 2006 and 2009. He was also named to Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business, placing at #33. Luke's co-production for Katy Perry, "California Gurls" debuted at number two on the Hot 100 and later reached number one. Second single, "Teenage Dream" would follow suit. Taio Cruz's "Dynamite", co-produced by Luke, reached number one in the UK and number two in the US. Luke would contribute to three more top ten songs, "Magic" for B.o.B, "My First Kiss" for 3OH!3 and "Take It Off" for Kesha, as well as a top five song, "Your Love is My Drug" by the latter on the Hot 100. In November, Kesha's lead single, "We R Who We R", co-produced by Luke, became only the seventeenth song to debut at number one on the Hot 100.

On December 1, 2010, Luke received 2 nominations for the 53rd Grammy Awards in the categories Album Of The Year (Teenage Dream by Katy Perry), and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. He was also named both the Number One Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year and Number One Producer of the Year by Billboard. At the start of 2011, Advertising Age called Luke "the year's most successful producer and songwriter in terms of chart longevity." Britney Spears' single, "Hold It Against Me", co-produced by Luke, became the eighteenth song to debut at the top of the Hot 100 in January. He also produced and co-wrote Jessie J's song, "Price Tag", for which he received credit as "Coconut Man". The song debuted at number one in the UK. He also co-produced "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" by Katy Perry, another Billboard number one hit.

On the week ending March 3, 2012, Luke's co-production for Katy Perry, "Part of Me" became the 20th song to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100. He also produced Perry's single "Wide Awake" which peaked at 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, whilst topping the US Pop Songs chart. On November 2, 2012, several songs from boyband One Direction's second album Take Me Home were leaked online, including "Rock Me" produced by Dr. Luke and frequent collaborators Cirkut, Emily Wright and Kool Kojak. He produced Kesha's comeback single "Die Young" which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also executively produced Kesha's sophomore album, Warrior and produced 12 tracks from the album, which was released on December 4, 2012, in the United States.

Dr. Luke also produced the hit UK single, "How To Be A Heartbreaker" performed and written by UK songstress, Marina and the Diamonds. The song has since slowly climbed to 105 on the US iTunes Pop charts and has gained more radio play across American radio and is very likely to gain more popularity once it appears as a cover on the hit American TV show, "Glee". Dr. Luke also helped produce several other tracks off Marina's latest album, "Electra Heart" which debuted at #1 on the UK Album Charts in 2012, including "Lies" and "Primadonna". Gottwald was also named both the Number One Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year and Number One Producer of the Year by Billboard.

Dr. Luke is currently working on new projects, including producing several tracks for Miley Cyrus's new album due out in 2013 and several tracks for Becky G's debut album, including "Problem". Jessie J has also lined up Dr Luke as one of her producers for her highly anticipated second album. Katy Perry confirmed in the 2013 ASCAP "I Create Music Expo" that she has been working with Dr. Luke on her highly anticipated third studio album.

Discography

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

• 2011 – Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (Nominated)
• 2011 – Album of the Year (Teenage Dream) (Nominated)

ASCAP Pop Music Awards

• 2010 – Songwriter of the Year (Won)
• 2011 – Songwriter of the Year (Won)

References

1. Lukasz Gottwald. Discogs.com. Retrieved on 2012-12-07.
2. ^ Rosen, Jody (December 16, 2009). "The Music Club" Slate. Retrieved on December 22, 2009.
3. ^ Sternbergh, Adam (June 20, 2010). "The Hit Whisperer" New York Magazine.
4. Chris Willman (September 3, 2010). "Dr. Luke: The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
5. ^ "G-Card Manual". TC Electronic. p. 17. Retrieved on December 26, 2009.
6. "Lukasz Gottwald: Saturday Night Livewire". Yamaha All Access. 2001. Retrieved on December 12, 2009.
7. ^ Fennessey, Sean (May 18, 2010). "Surveying the Dr. Luke Moment: A Critical Look At Lazers, Glitter, and the Un-Sexing of America's Pop Stars" Village Voice.
8. Concepion, Mariel (January 8, 2011). "Dynamite Doc" Billboard.
9. Billboard Charts: 2009 Hot 100 Producers
10. "Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People". Retrieved on May 28, 2010.
11. "Final Nominations List" (PDF). Grammy Award. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved December 1, 2010.
12. "Advertising Age". Retrieved January 3, 2011.
13. One Direction’s “Rock Me” & “They Don’t Know About Us”: Hear The ‘Take Me Home’ Leaks | Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on. Idolator.com (2012-11-02). Retrieved on 2012-12-07.
14. Billboard Charts: 2010 Hot 100 Songwriters. Billboard.biz. Retrieved on 2012-12-07.
15. Billboard Charts: 2010 Hot 100 Producers. Billboard.biz. Retrieved on 2012-12-07.
16. "ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2010". Retrieved May 24, 2012.
17. "ASCAP Pop Music Awards 2011". Retrieved May 24, 2012.

External links

• Dr. Luke Discography

Template:Persondata

• American guitarists
• American Jews
• American record producers
• 1973 births
• Living people
• People from Westerly, Rhode Island
• Singers from New York City
• Remixers
• Saturday Night Live Band members
• Songwriters from New York
• American pop singer-songwriters
• American male singer-songwriters
• Synthpop musicians
• Manhattan School of Music alumni
• American people of Polish descent