| Van McCoy | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Name: | Van Allen Clinton McCoy |
| Birth Date: | 6 January 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Death Place: | Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genre: | Disco, R&B, pop |
| Occupation: | Record producer, arranger, songwriter, singer |
| Years Active: | 1952–1979 |
| Label: | Columbia, Avco, H&L |
Van Allen Clinton McCoy (January 6, 1940 – July 6, 1979) was an American record producer, arranger, songwriter and singer. He is known for his 1975 internationally successful hit "The Hustle". He has approximately 700 song copyrights to his credit, and produced songs by such recording artists as Brenda & the Tabulations, David Ruffin, The Stylistics, The Presidents,[1] Faith, Hope & Charity, New Censation, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Aretha Franklin, Peaches & Herb, Lesley Gore,[2] and Stacy Lattisaw.
Van McCoy was born on January 6, 1940, in Washington, D.C., the second child of Norman S. McCoy, Sr. and Lillian Ray.[3] He learned to play piano at a young age and sang with the Metropolitan Baptist Church choir as a youngster.[4]
By the age of 12, he had begun writing his own songs, in addition to performing in local amateur shows alongside his older brother, Norman Jr. The two brothers formed a doo-wop combo named the Starlighters with two friends while in Theodore Roosevelt High School. In 1956, they recorded a single entitled, "The Birdland",[3] a novelty dance record. It gained some interest, resulting in a tour with saxophonist Vi Burnside. In 1959, the Starlighters produced three singles for End Records that included "I Cried". Marriage and other commitments eventually caused the group to disband during the mid-1950s. Van also sang with a group called the Marylanders.[5]
In September 1958, McCoy entered Howard University to study psychology but dropped out after two years in order to relocate to Philadelphia, where he formed his own recording company, Rockin' Records, releasing his first single, "Hey Mr. D.J.", in 1959.[6] This single gained the attention of Scepter Records owner Florence Greenberg, who hired McCoy as a staff writer and A&R representative for the label.[6] As a writer there, McCoy composed his first success, "Stop the Music", for the popular female vocal group The Shirelles in 1962. He was co-owner of Vando Records with Philly D.J. Jocko Henderson. He owned the Share record label and co-owned the Maxx record label in the mid-1960s, supervising such artists as Gladys Knight & the Pips, Chris Bartley and The Ad Libs.
He came into his own after first working for top producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as a writer, and then signing with the major April-Blackwood music publishing concern, connected with Columbia Records. McCoy went on to write a string of hits as the 1960s progressed. He penned "Giving Up" for Gladys Knight & the Pips (later a hit for both The Ad Libs[7] and Donny Hathaway), "The Sweetest Thing This Side of Heaven" for Chris Bartley, "When You're Young and in Love" for Ruby & the Romantics (later a hit for The Marvelettes), "Right on the Tip of My Tongue" for Brenda & the Tabulations,[6] "Baby I'm Yours" for Barbara Lewis,[6] "Getting Mighty Crowded" for Betty Everett, "Abracadabra" for Erma Franklin, "You're Gonna Make Me Love You" for Sandi Sheldon, and "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" for Jackie Wilson.[6]
A songwriting partner for Van McCoy was Joe Cobb. With McCoy, Cobb composed at least eighteen chart hits. They include "So Much Love" by Faith, Hope & Charity, "Triangle of Love (Hey Diddle Diddle)" by The Presidents, "Right on the Tip of My Tongue" by Brenda & the Tabulations, and "Come Back and Finish What You Started" by Gladys Knight & the Pips.[8]
Cash Box reported in the June 13, 1964, issue that McCoy was appointed to the position of staff writer for the music publishing company April-Blackwood Music. He was working under Jerry Teifer. His duties included writing music and lyrics for all their labels, major and independent labels. He also had the responsibility to maintain the liaison with artists and producers. At that time, McCoy's composition "Giving Up" by Gladys Knight & the Pips was doing well in the charts.[9] It was at no. 56 in the Cash Box Top 100 and no. 10 in the Cash Box Top 50 in R&B Locations chart.[10] [11]
In 1965, Barbara Lewis had the Van McCoy–composed "Baby I'm Yours" released. She was originally reluctant to record it. It went to no. 11 that year.[12]
By July 1965, McCoy and David Kapralik had formed Daedalus Productions. Their first production was to be a release by The Spellbinders. At the time, McCoy's composition "Before and After" by Chad and Jeremy and "Baby I'm Yours" by Barbara Lewis were both in the Cash Box Top 100.[13]
Around 1965, McCoy was promoting the Sweet Things, a female vocal outfit. Walking into a Washington, D.C., record store one day, he got roped into giving a young salesman there an audition. This took place in the storeroom. Not too long after that he had an idea that he could put the salesman, Herb Fame, together with the Sweet Things lead singer Francine Barker, and they would be a duo. And that was the beginning of Peaches & Herb.[14] He ended up arranging and co-producing their first hit, "Let's Fall in Love", for the Columbia subsidiary Date in 1966.[6]
In 1966, he started his own short-lived label, Vando.[6]
An article appeared in the March 11, 1967 issue of Cash Box informing readers that McCoy had left Daedalus Productions and had started his own production company, VMP (Van McCoy Productions[15]). McCoy's new company would form new labels and have the product distributed via independents. It would also produce artists for various labels. At the time of print, a Daedalus production that McCoy had arranged, produced and conducted, "Let's Fall in Love" by Peaches & Herb was in the charts. Also the previous week, a Sandi Sheldon record ("You're Gonna Make Me Love You"[15]) had been released by Okeh Records. It was done under the banner of Soul Sound Productions.[16]
One outfit Van wrote or produced most consistently for was The Presidents, who had the hit "5-10-15-20 (25-30 Years of Love)".
In the early 1970s, McCoy had begun a long, acclaimed collaboration with songwriter/producer Charles Kipps, and arranged several hits for the soul group The Stylistics etc.[17]
McCoy also had success with David Ruffin's comeback album, Who I Am (1975), featuring "Walk Away from Love", (US number 9, US number 1 R&B) in the US and a UK top 10 success. He went on to produce the next two albums for Ruffin, which spawned further successes. His early discovery, Faith, Hope And Charity, had major success in 1975 with "To Each His Own". It was another R&B chart-topper. Also in 1975, he arranged two of his compositions, "My Heart's Too Big for My Head" and "You've Got to Tell Her", for the Asha Puthli album She Loves to Hear the Music.[18]
An example of multiple McCoy compositions in the same chart was for the week ending November 15, 1975, in the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart. In addition to his hit "Change with the Times", which at week 6 was at no. 8, there was "To each His Own" by Faith Hope & Charity at no. 10 at week 14, "When You're Young and in Love" by Choice Four at no. 71 at week 11 and "I Destroyed "Your Love" by Special Delivery at no. 71 at week 5.[19]
For the week ending May 8, 1976, McCoy had four of his compositions in the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart. At week ten, "Heavy Love" by David Ruffin was at no. 17, and "This is It" by Melba Moore at week six was at no. 29. His own single, "Night Walk" was on its fourth week at no 52, and "Hey What's that Dance You're Doing" by The Choice Four on week five was at no. 60.[20]
1976 was the year that McCoy produced Melba Moore's "This Is It" and "Lean on Me".[6]
Having changed the name of their production company Whitehouse Productions to McCoy-Kipps Productions in early 1976, McCoy and Charles Kipps had entered a new venture towards the end of that year. They had entered a production agreement to produce two albums of new R&B acts. A McCoy-Kipps Productions bio sheet for Kipps indicated that one of the artists could be actress Tamara Dobson.[21] Dobson had signed with MCA sometime in the later part of 1976.[22] Confirmation of things in motion appeared in the November 27 issue of Billboard. Dobson was the first artist to have a release scheduled for early 1977.[23] Prior to that, in 1975 and 1976 McCoy had been seen escorting Dobson as well as dancing with her various venues.[24] [25] [26]
During 1977, he produced Gladys Knight & the Pips' Still Together LP.[6]
McCoy along with brother Norman and two schoolmates, Freddy Smith and Paul Comedy formed The Starlighters. He was still at Dunbar High School at the time. It was then after he had transferred to Roosevelt High School in D.C. that "The Birdland" was recorded in 1956. The group later recorded "I Cried" which was released on the End Records label in 1959.[27]
Having met Kendra Spotswood (also known as Sandi Sheldon), who lived near his family in 1961, she became his romantic interest, and they became an item. For the next five years, they would sing and record music together professionally. Their relationship ended when McCoy delayed their wedding plans because of a work contract he had signed with Columbia Records.[35]
The first single for the label consisted of two McCoy originals, "Butterfly" and "Keep Loving Me".[36] The single at the time had "Keep Loving Me" as the A-side. Backed with "Butterfly", it was arranged by Gary Sherman, and was released on Columbia 43415. The October 2 issue of Billboard had it in the Pop Spotlights Top 60 section, a record predicted to reach the top 60 of the HOT 100 Chart.[37] The following week, Billboard ran a picture of McCoy seated, signing his contract with Columbia vice-president William P. Gallgaher and manager Dave Kapralik looking on.[38] A full page advert for the single with McCoy pictured appeared on page 5 of the same issue.[39]
It charted in Canada, making its debut in the R. P. M. Play Sheet chart at no. 36 on the week of October 25.[40] In her New York column, Harriet Wasser (R. P. M.s New York correspondent[41]) mentioned that McCoy singing on "Butterfly" sounded a bit like Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathis.[42] With the magazine now calling itself, R. P. M. Music Weekly the single peaked at no. 10 on the week of December 6.[43] [44] In 1966, McCoy recorded a solo LP for Columbia entitled Night Time Is Lonely Time.[6] It was produced by Mitch Miller.[45]
In 1972, he released his own solo LP on the Buddah label, Soul Improvisations.[6] The album included a minor hit, "Let Me Down Easy", but it was not a success following poor promotion. A few years later, following his success with The Hustle, it would be re-released in abridged form (two songs less) as From Disco to Love. He would form his own orchestra, Soul City Symphony[17] and, with singers Faith, Hope and Charity, produce several albums and give many performances.[6]
For the week of April 26, 1975, while "The Hustle" was at no. 7 on the Record World Disco File Top 20. He also had four of his songs on the Discotheque Hit Parade. "The Hustle" was getting spun at the Flamingo in New York as well as The Zanzibar at Washington, D.C., and The Directoire in New York. "Fire" was getting played at Disco 1985 in Los Angeles, "Disco Baby" was being played at The Zanzibar as well as "Turn this Mother Out".[48] [49]
On June 19, 1975, McCoy was in Montreal, Canada, attending a reception hosted by Quality Records at the Limelight night club. There he was presented with a giant award with the inscription, "Presented to Van McCoy by Quality Records Limited, in recognition of "Love Is the Answer" for the song's achieving hit status in Quebec. The function was to also commemorate the first concert appearance of Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony at the Montreal Forum the next day on the 20th.[50]
Making its debut on the Cash Box Top 100 R&B chart for the week of September 27, 1975, "Change with the Times" was at no. 78. Also that week, another composition of his, "To Each His Own" by Faith Hope and Charity was at no. 12 in the same chart.[51] "Change with the Times" peaked at no. 8 on the Top 100 R&B Singles chart on the week of November 22.[52] [53] It had also on made its debut on the week of October 4 in the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart at no. 89, just behind by Silver Convention's "Fly, Robin, Fly" which was also making its debut.[54] [55] On the week of November 8, the single got to no. 52 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart, and held that position for another week.[56] [55] [57]
"My Favorite Fantasy" would become a hit. While it was charting, another composition of his, "Don't Pity Me" by Faith Hope & Charity, was seeing chart action in the same Billboard and Cash Box charts.[65] [66] [67] In the United States, "My Favorite Fantasy" peaked at #76 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart,[68] [69] peaked at #51 on the Cash Box Top 100 R&B chart,[67] [70] and it peaked at #48 on the Record World R&B singles chart.[71] [72] In Canada, it peaked at #37 on the RPM Adult Oriented Playlist chart.[73] [74] It also charted in the United Kingdom, getting on to the Record Mirror UK Disco Top 90 chart, peaking at #70.[75] [76]
In late 1978, he produced and composed the A-side of the single "I'm Not Dreaming", credited to Zulema (and friend). It was backed with "Gotta Find a Way", released on LeJoint 5N-34002.[88] [89]
It was reported in the December 30, 1978 issue of Cash Box that MCA was holding back on a Van McCoy recording, "Patrolers Theme". Instead of this recording they were coming with "Lonely Dancer" which was from McCoy's forthcoming LP. The project was overseen by Billy Smith and Richie Rivera was taking care of the mix.[90]
In early January, Richie Rivera presented for the first time his mix of Van McCoy's "Lonely Dancer" at a New York City club.[91] On the week of January 20, 1979, Cash Box wrote that a 12" release of "Lonely Dancer" / "Samba" was being released on MCA that week.[92]
The Zulema and friend single "I'm Not Dreaming" was in the Soul section of Billboard's Top Single Picks for the week of January 20, 1979. The review was favorable. It was revealed that the unnamed friend singing with Zulema was actually Van McCoy. The reviewer put it on par with other "silky, romantic" recent hit recordings by Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, and Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway.[93]
By February, the Lonely Dancer album was out. It was reviewed by Cash Box in the February 24 issue. Referring to McCoy's and Charles Kipps' production values as stellar and first-rate background harmonies, the reviewer said that McCoy's baritone vocals were mostly first rate. The picks were "Merry Go Round", "The Samba" and "Lonely Dancer".[94] His release was part of an extensive campaign by MCA for the February releases which included releases by Joe Ely, Lane Caudell, Jeffree and Mel Tillis. The promotion strategy for McCoy's album was to build a strong base at a disco and R&B level. The paraphernalia to be distributed to the press, radio and retailers included a four-color poster and four-color button.[95]
"I'm Not Dreaming" entered the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, peaking at #76 (week seven) on March 17, 1979,[96] holding the position for another week. It had a total run of nine weeks in the chart.[97] [98]
Also in March, Stuff's album Stuff It was out. Along with Faith Hope & Charity, Vanetta Fields, McCoy provided backing vocals.[99]
In 1979, Van McCoy was still connected with the disco scene. Cash Box ran a recent picture in their March 31 issue. McCoy was pictured with a bunch of people in New York during the National Disco Convention. Pictured were Joanna Beck, Keith Barrow, Tony Beck, Lamarr Rene, WBLS radio personality; McCoy, Nick Mundy member of the Beck Family; and Billy Smith the national disco promotion manager for London.[100]
On June 29, 1979, McCoy suffered a heart attack at his home in Englewood, New Jersey. He was hospitalized and went into a coma, but died at Englewood Hospital a week later at the age of 39.[101] [102] He is buried in the McCoy family plot at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
McCoy was set to marry Kendra Spotswood in the spring of 1966. They had been in a relationship since 1961.[103] [35] McCoy's pursuit of his career ruined their wedding plans.[104]
During 1975 and 1976, McCoy was seen at various venues with actress Tamara Dobson.[24] [25] [26]
McCoy never married or had any children.[103] [25] [105] He doted on his brother's four children and would give them gifts from places he went. He was greatly affected by the sudden death of his mother in 1973 from a brain hemorrhage and the death of his grandmother Mary Lindsay Ray in August 1976. Since the death of his mother, he had tried to distract himself by focusing on his career. After his grandmother died at the age of 101/102, both his physical and mental health declined.[35]
Van McCoy appeared on the Mike Douglas Show and was a regular guest on The Tonight Show.[106] He wrote and sang the theme song for the 1978 movie Sextette that starred Mae West and Timothy Dalton and made a cameo appearance in it, playing a delegate from Africa. He also contributed some music for A Woman Called Moses.[3] Along with Faith Hope & Charity, Brass Construction and Johnny Dark, he appeared in episode 4.20 of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Record label | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [107] | US R&B | AUS [108] | CAN [109] | GER [110] | NL [111] | UK [112] | |||||||||
| 1966 | Night Time Is Lonely Time | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Columbia | ||||||
| 1972 | Soul Improvisations | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Buddah | ||||||
| 1974 | Love Is the Answer | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Avco | ||||||
| 1975 | Disco Baby | 12 | 1 | 33 | 11 | 16 | - | 32 | |||||||
| From Disco to Love | 181 | 41 | - | 75 | - | - | - | Buddah | |||||||
| The Disco Kid | 82 | 18 | 97 | - | - | 20 | - | Avco | |||||||
| 1976 | The Real McCoy | 106 | 22 | - | - | - | - | - | H&L | ||||||
| Rhythms of the World | - | 44 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| 1977 | Van McCoy and His Magnificent Movie Machine | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1978 | My Favorite Fantasy | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | MCA | ||||||
| 1979 | Lonely Dancer | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||
| Year | Album | Peak | Record label | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | |||||||||||||||
| 1976 | The Hustle and Best of Van McCoy | 193 | H&L | ||||||||||||
| 1979 | Sweet Rhythm | - | |||||||||||||
| 1987 | The Best of Van McCoy | - | |||||||||||||
| 2016 | The Best of Van McCoy | - | Unidisc Music | ||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US A/C | US Dan | AUS | CAN | GER | IRE [114] | NL | UK | ||||||
| 1961 | "I Wantcha Back" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="12" | |||
| "Never Trust a Friend" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| "Mr. D.J." | 104 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| "Girls Are Sentimental" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1962 | "Follow Your Heart" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 1963 | "It Ain't No Big Thing" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| "Very Few Heartaches (Very Few Tears)" (with Kendra Spotswood) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1964 | "Two of a Kind" (with Kendra Spotswood) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 1965 | "Something Special" (with Kendra Spotswood) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| "Butterfly" | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1966 | "Starlight, Starbright" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| "Take Me for What I Am" (with Kendra Spotswood) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| "The House That Love Built" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="1" | Night Time Is Lonely Time | |||
| "Pledging My Love" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="5" | ||||
| 1968 | "Sweet and Easy" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 1969 | "The Generation Gap" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| "I Started a Joke" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1970 | "Where There's a Heartache (There Must Be a Heart)" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 1972 | "I'm in Love with You Baby" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="2" | Soul Improvisations | ||
| "Let Me Down Easy" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1973 | "I'm in Your Corner" (with Sharon Ridley) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="1" | |||
| 1974 | "Love Is the Answer" | - | 77 | 22 | - | - | 88 | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="3" | Love Is the Answer | ||
| "African Symphony" | - | - | - | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1975 | "Boogie Down" | - | 67 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| "The Hustle" | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | align=left rowspan="1" | Disco Baby | |||
| "Change with the Times" | 46 | 6 | - | 15 | - | 52 | 31 | - | - | 36 | align=left rowspan="1" | The Disco Kid | |||
| 1976 | "Night Walk" | 96 | 51 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="2" | The Real McCoy | ||
| "Party" | 69 | 20 | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| "Soul Cha Cha" | - | - | - | 14 | - | - | 13 | - | 7 | 34 | align=left rowspan="2" | Rhythms of the World | |||
| "The Shuffle" | 105 | 79 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | 4 |
| ||||
| 1978 | "My Favorite Fantasy" | - | 76 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="2" | My Favorite Fantasy | ||
| "Two Points" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| 1979 | "Lonely Dancer" | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | align=left rowspan="1" | Lonely Dancer | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||
