Eddie Lambert, a music executive whose varied career spanned five decades and included stints at ABC/Dunhill, 20th Century Fox Music and Motown, died 3/04 in West Hills, Calif., from cancer. He was 76.

His brother, songwriter/producer Dennis Lambert, confirmed his death, saying, "He was the wind beneath my wings, my mentor, my big bro, my biggest fan and my best friend."

During his career, he executive produced albums by The Temptations and others; supervised and coordinated soundtrack albums, among them The Big Chill; worked as a talent booker and casting executive for Star Search; and had a label, Haven Records, with his brother.

During his years in the early 1970s at ABC/Dunhill as a music publisher and A&R executive, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan were signed as was Jim Croce. While there he worked on songs his brother wrote with partner Brian Potter as well as the music of Kenny Loggins and others.

He got his start in music publishing, eventually working with Don Costa and his DCP International Records, where his brother was overseeing A&R while writing and producing.

Lambert moved to Capitol Records as an A&R exec, helping sign The Manhattan Transfer. In 1974, after his run at ABC/Dunhill, Dennis and Eddie started Haven Records, scoring with the reunited Righteous Brothers record “Rock & Roll Heaven.” The brothers also worked together on the Tavares and Glen Campbell records that Capitol released.

Eddie Lambert returned to publishing at Interworld Music Group before landing at 20th Century Fox Music as VP, Creative. He worked as director of A&R for Steve Barri at Motown Records in the early to mid-1980s when the label scored hits with Lionel Richie, Rick James and The Temptations. He oversaw the highly successful soundtrack albums for The Big Chill and A Fine Mess.

After his run at Star Search, Lambert returned to the label business, spending more than 11 years at EMI-Capitol Special Markets as VP of Film & Television Licensing. In 2002, he formed a song licensing company, Rilex Entertainment.

He was Vice Chairman of the Recording Academy and L.A. Chapter President in 1979-81 and 1999-2001.