(1951-07-01) July 1, 1951 (age 72) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Disco
funk
R&B
Occupation(s)
Singer, songwriter, actor
Years active
1977–present
Labels
Casablanca
Sutra
Website
villagepeople.com
Musical artist
Victor Edward Willis (born July 1, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and the founding member of the disco group Village People. He performed as their lead singer and was co-songwriter for all of their most successful singles. In the group, he performed costumed as a policeman or a 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 albums in the mid-1970s for independent labels and was eventually introduced to French disco producer Jacques Morali. Morali, who dubbed him 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".[1]
^Village People, Rolling Stone Magazine Vol. 289, April 19, 1979
Victor Edward Willis (born July 1, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and the founding member of the disco group Village People. He performed as their...
tunes when he was given a demo tape recorded by singer/actor VictorWillis. After hiring Willis to sing background vocals on the four tracks, Morali approached...
Jacques Morali and VictorWillis, Rashad's second husband and the original lead singer and lyricist of the Village People. She met Willis while they were...
Man: Ben Harney, Ralph Wilcox (u/s), VictorWillis (u/s) Lion: Michael Leslie, Ken Page, James Wigfall, VictorWillis (u/s) Aunt Em: Dee Dee Bridgewater...
the name of the group was turned over to the original lead singer, VictorWillis. Rose subsequently launched a solo career and released the single "Going...
replaced original lead singer, VictorWillis as the Cop, a role he would fill until 1982, and again from 1987 until Willis' return in 2017. Simpson had...
and signed and recorded the Cover Girls,Gene Vincent, the Fat Boys, VictorWillis, and many more before the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in...
co-writer VictorWillis (Village People's "Cop"/"Naval officer") can recover his share of the copyrights to songs co-written by him. Willis now owns 33%...
introduced to producer/composer Jacques Morali by Village People member VictorWillis. He originally performed in jeans and a T-shirt, but he took the role...
West", with Morali and, in some cases, the band's lead singer VictorWillis. In 2015, Willis won a legal case against Can't Stop Productions, successfully...
original cop VictorWillis on the entire "Live" disk; on the "Sleazy" disk, construction worker David Hodo on track 1, Ray Simpson (who replaced Willis as the...
return of original lead singer VictorWillis, who once again also co-wrote the songs. Ray Simpson (who had replaced Willis) is featured on two tracks, "Everybody...
married and had a son. On the evening of January 26, 1996, Higgs, Willis Haynes, and Victor Gloria drove from Higgs' apartment in Laurel, Maryland, to Washington...
v t e Village People VictorWillis Angel Morales James Kwong James Lee Chad Freeman J. J. Lippold Ray Stephens Felipe Rose Alex Briley Eric Anzalone Ray...
written by Jacques Morali and Village People lead singer VictorWillis. It served as Willis' theme song with the Village People. Although not released...
Fundamental Tennant, Lowe "Go West" 1993 Very Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo, VictorWillis Second single from Very. Cover of The Village People 1979 single. "Happiness...
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