Beverly Lee of the Shirelles called yesterday and told me that Luther
Dixon passed away on Thursday. Although best remembered for his work
at Scepter with the Shirelles, Chuck Jackson, Tommy Hunt, et al, Luther
was also responsible for such classics as "Sixteen Candles," "Big Boss
Man," "A Hundred Pounds of Clay," and the Platter's mid '60s hit. Before
Scepter, he had written pop hits by artists like Pat Boone, Perry Como
and Bobby Darin. Just last week, Luther was nominated to the Songwriters
Hall of Fame, an honor he richly deserves that will now be sadly
posthumous. A great talent and one of the main architects of the
"girl group" sound, Luther will be missed.

Here's more information on the late great Luther Dixon, who was a very private person and news of his death, was not even reported in any newspaper.

Luther Dixon, the songwriter and producer who helped establish Scepter Records and the Shirelles as hitmakers, died Thursday (October 22) in Jacksonville, Florida at the age of 78. Born in 1931 in Jacksonville, Luther grew up on the east coast and recorded with the Four Buddies (AKA the Buddies, AKA the Barons) in the early fifties. Upon the group's demise, he concentrated on writing, penning Pat Boone's "Why Baby Why" (#5, 1957) and "Sixteen Candles" for the Crests (#2, 1959). A chance meeting with Scepter's Florence Greenburg gave him the opportunity to produce her up-and-coming girl group, the Shirelles. He soon became the label's director of A&R (Artists and Repertoire). He wrote and produced the Shirelles' "Tonight's The Night" (#39-1960), as well as "Mama Said" (#4-1961), "Soldier Boy" (#1-1963) and "Baby It's You" (written as Barney Williams with Burt Bacharach, #8-1962). Luther also producd their number one hit (written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin), "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (1961). His other successful efforts for Scepter (and its sister label, Wand) included "I Don't Want To Cry" with Chuck Jackson (#36-1961). Offered his own label (Ludix) by Capitol Records, Luther jumped ship, but was never able to recreate the success he had with Scepter. His other hit compositions (away from Scepter and Ludix) included "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" for Gene McDaniel (#3-1961), "Boys" (originally a Shirelles tune but later a Beatles classic) and "With This Ring" by the Platters (#14-1967). He was nominated earlier this month for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

I did not know who he was, but I recognize many of the songs he wrote or produced. They were some of the best.

Yes, Herb Luther was a songwriter and producer, he was a very private person, and its a shame that he didn't live long enough, he was nominated to get into the songwriters hall of fame in 2010.