Maurice Commander

Maurice Commander (born April 11, 1948) is a Chicago-born singer, songwriter, and producer who has been active in the soul and R&B music industry for over five decades.

A graduate of DuSable High School and Hales Franciscan, Maurice began his professional career after signing with Curtom Records as a composer and songwriter. It was at this label, founded by Curtis Mayfield, where he met Jerline Shelton and her twin sister Sherline, forming a creative partnership that would span several decades.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the trio collaborated extensively with producer Clarence Johnson, serving as writers, producers, and performers for various acts. Their work is featured on recordings by Brighter Side of Darkness, Patti and The Lovelites, The Imaginations, Coffee, Starvue, and Morris Jefferson. Maurice was responsible for arranging, writing, and producing much of this material, navigating the transition from Chicago soul to the disco era.

Following a business partnership with Luck Cordell that concluded in the mid-1980s, Maurice and Jerline Shelton established Lu-Cor Music Co. to house their collective music compositions. This partnership allowed them to maintain control over the publishing and distribution of their work. Today, the catalogue is managed through The MO Amper Sounds Publishing, which is operated by his son, James Commander, and remains available for preview and licensing.