Victor Willis, the original lead singer and co-writer of Village People’s biggest disco hits, has died at 74. His wife, Karen-Huff Willis, announced his death in a statement posted to his official Facebook page, saying he passed away on Tuesday as a result of a short, but aggressive illness, and requesting privacy for the family. The band shared a similar tribute.
Born in Texas, Willis co-founded Village People with French producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, fronting the group in its iconic ‘Cop/Admiral’ persona. He co-wrote the group’s most successful songs, including ‘YMCA’, ‘In the Navy’ and ‘Macho Man’, tracks that became Disco-era touchstones and later cultural staples.
President Donald Trump, who frequently played ‘YMCA’ at his campaign rallies, paid tribute on social media, calling Willis “a great and happy guy”. Willis re-teamed with the band in 2017 after a legal dispute over song rights.
