Victor Willis
Encyclopedia
Victor Edward Willis is a singer, songwriter
, actor
; and most known as the original lead singer of the disco group Village People
. His persona was the Cop
and Naval Officer
.
The son of a Baptist preacher, Willis developed his singing skills in his father's church. With training in acting and dance, he went to New York and joined the prestigious Negro Ensemble Company
. He appeared in many musicals and plays, including the original Broadway production of The Wiz
in 1976 and subsequently, the Australian production.
Willis also had written and recorded several demos of music in the mid-1970s and was eventually introduced to French disco producer Jacques Morali
. Morali, who dubbed Willis the "young man with the big voice", approached Willis and said, "I had a dream that you sang lead vocals on my album and it went very, very big".
, a non-existent concept group which included the hits San Francisco (You've Got Me)
and In Hollywood (Everybody is a Star). The album became a huge hit in the burgeoning disco market. After an offer from Dick Clark for the group to perform on American Bandstand
, Morali and Willis were pressed to develop a "real" group around Willis to perform live. They did so by placing an ad in music trade papers for "macho" singers who "could also dance" and "must have a mustache".
Willis was soon writing hit after hit produced by and co-written with Morali. Village People quickly rose to the top of the charts with Willis at the helm scoring numerous chart busters such as Macho Man
, Y.M.C.A., In the Navy
, and Go West
.
In 1980, as preparations for a Village People feature film Can't Stop the Music
were under way, Willis left the group. Although Willis does not appear in the movie, he wrote the lyrics for two of the film's songs, Magic Nights and Milkshake. Can't Stop The Music became one of the biggest Hollywood movie flops of all time.
After Willis departed, Village People never had another hit. In an attempt to "recapture the magic", Morali and Belolo convinced Willis to return to the group in 1982 for the album Fox On The Box. The album was not a success and, in 1983, Willis left the group for good. Willis asserts he should have copyright to Y.M.C.A. and many other songs.
, In the Navy
, Milk Shake, Magic Night, and other songs he has co-written. Willis is seeking termination of the grants to his portion of the songs (as lyricist) under the 1976 Copyright Act which allows recording artists and writers to reclaim their master recordings and publishing rights initially granted to record companies and publishers after 35 years. In addition to Village People, Willis was co-writer of songs for other artists including the Ritchie Family and Patrick Juvet
.
Since leaving Village People, Willis had declined offers to record and he consistently refused to perform any of his Village People hits. In 2007, after an absence of 28 years, Willis returned to the stage and began preliminary performances for an international comeback tour planned for 2009. However, in July 2008, he underwent a successful operation
at a San Diego hospital to remove benign
nodules
from his vocal cords
, forcing a postponement of the tour.
In 2010, he appeared at several Major League Baseball stadiums, performing the National Anthem and leading the crowd for the traditional Y.M.C.A. 7th-inning stretch break. His autobiography is also scheduled for release in 2012.
Willis was married to Phylicia Ayers-Allen (better known as Phylicia Rashād
, who played Clair Huxtable on the The Cosby Show
) from 1978 until 1982. He also wrote the lyrics for her album, Josephine Superstar. On November 17, 2007 Willis married a second time. His wife, Karen, is a lawyer and executive, and they live in Karen's home town of Newport
in South Wales.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
; and most known as the original lead singer of the disco group Village People
Village People
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
. His persona was the Cop
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and Naval Officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
.
The son of a Baptist preacher, Willis developed his singing skills in his father's church. With training in acting and dance, he went to New York and joined the prestigious Negro Ensemble Company
Negro Ensemble Company
The Negro Ensemble Company is a New York City-based theater company. Established in 1967 by playwright Douglas Turner Ward, producer/actor Robert Hooks, and theater manager Gerald S...
. He appeared in many musicals and plays, including the original Broadway production of The Wiz
The Wiz
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A...
in 1976 and subsequently, the Australian production.
Willis also had written and recorded several demos of music in the mid-1970s and was eventually introduced to French disco producer Jacques Morali
Jacques Morali
Jacques Morali was a French music producer, who is best remembered for being the creator and driving force behind the disco group, Village People....
. Morali, who dubbed Willis the "young man with the big voice", approached Willis and said, "I had a dream that you sang lead vocals on my album and it went very, very big".
Village People
Willis agreed to sing lead and background vocals under the auspices of Village PeopleVillage People (album)
Village People is the debut album by Village People, released on July 11, 1977. Its hit song "San Francisco " was a top 50 hit in the UK, peaking at #45.-History:...
, a non-existent concept group which included the hits San Francisco (You've Got Me)
San Francisco (You've Got Me)
"San Francisco" is the title of a song recorded by American disco group the Village People. It was released in 1977 as the lead single from their debut album Village People. The song reached number 45 on the UK pop charts and peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100...
and In Hollywood (Everybody is a Star). The album became a huge hit in the burgeoning disco market. After an offer from Dick Clark for the group to perform on American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, Morali and Willis were pressed to develop a "real" group around Willis to perform live. They did so by placing an ad in music trade papers for "macho" singers who "could also dance" and "must have a mustache".
Willis was soon writing hit after hit produced by and co-written with Morali. Village People quickly rose to the top of the charts with Willis at the helm scoring numerous chart busters such as Macho Man
Macho Man (song)
"Macho Man" is the seond single recorded by the American disco group Village People. The song "bubbled under" the charts during summer 1978 before picking up substantial airplay that August...
, Y.M.C.A., In the Navy
In the Navy
"In the Navy" is a song recorded by American disco group Village People released in 1979. It was the last top 10 hit for the group in the United States.-Background and writing:...
, and Go West
Go West (song)
"Go West" is a song by the 1970s disco group Village People. The song eventually found greater success when it was covered in 1993 by the synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Village People version:...
.
In 1980, as preparations for a Village People feature film Can't Stop the Music
Can't Stop the Music
Can't Stop the Music is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by Nancy Walker. It is a pseudo-biography of disco's Village People which bears only a vague resemblance to the actual story of the group's formation...
were under way, Willis left the group. Although Willis does not appear in the movie, he wrote the lyrics for two of the film's songs, Magic Nights and Milkshake. Can't Stop The Music became one of the biggest Hollywood movie flops of all time.
After Willis departed, Village People never had another hit. In an attempt to "recapture the magic", Morali and Belolo convinced Willis to return to the group in 1982 for the album Fox On The Box. The album was not a success and, in 1983, Willis left the group for good. Willis asserts he should have copyright to Y.M.C.A. and many other songs.
Copyright Terminations
On August 16, 2011, it was announced that Willis filed notices of copyright terminations to many of Village People's biggest hits, such as Y.M.C.A., Go WestGo West (song)
"Go West" is a song by the 1970s disco group Village People. The song eventually found greater success when it was covered in 1993 by the synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Village People version:...
, In the Navy
In the Navy
"In the Navy" is a song recorded by American disco group Village People released in 1979. It was the last top 10 hit for the group in the United States.-Background and writing:...
, Milk Shake, Magic Night, and other songs he has co-written. Willis is seeking termination of the grants to his portion of the songs (as lyricist) under the 1976 Copyright Act which allows recording artists and writers to reclaim their master recordings and publishing rights initially granted to record companies and publishers after 35 years. In addition to Village People, Willis was co-writer of songs for other artists including the Ritchie Family and Patrick Juvet
Patrick Juvet
Patrick Juvet is a former model turned singer-songwriter, who had a string of hit records in France...
.
Personal life
Willis occasionally made headlines for arrests for drug possession. Following an arrest in 2006, he was given probation and ordered into rehab at the Betty Ford Clinic. In 2007, following treatment, Willis made his first statement to the press in more than 25 years, saying, "The nightmare of drug abuse is being lifted from my life... now that the haze of drugs are gone, I'm thinking and seeing clearer now than I have in years... I'm looking forward to living the second part of my life drug-free."Since leaving Village People, Willis had declined offers to record and he consistently refused to perform any of his Village People hits. In 2007, after an absence of 28 years, Willis returned to the stage and began preliminary performances for an international comeback tour planned for 2009. However, in July 2008, he underwent a successful operation
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at a San Diego hospital to remove benign
Benignity
Benignity [from Latin benignus , from bonus + genus ] is a medical term used to describe a condition that is harmless...
nodules
Nodule (medicine)
For use of the term nodule in dermatology, see Nodule In medicine, a nodule refers to a relatively hard, roughly spherical abnormal structure....
from his vocal cords
Vocal folds
The vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx...
, forcing a postponement of the tour.
In 2010, he appeared at several Major League Baseball stadiums, performing the National Anthem and leading the crowd for the traditional Y.M.C.A. 7th-inning stretch break. His autobiography is also scheduled for release in 2012.
Willis was married to Phylicia Ayers-Allen (better known as Phylicia Rashād
Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
, who played Clair Huxtable on the The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
) from 1978 until 1982. He also wrote the lyrics for her album, Josephine Superstar. On November 17, 2007 Willis married a second time. His wife, Karen, is a lawyer and executive, and they live in Karen's home town of Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
in South Wales.