Willie Hutch

Willie Hutch

born on 6/12/1944 in Los Angeles, CA, United States

died on 19/9/2005 in Dallas, TX, United States

Alias Willie Hutchison

Willie Hutch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Willie Hutch

William McKinley Hutchison (December 6, 1944 September 19, 2005),[1] better known as Willie Hutch, was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s.[2]

Biography

Born in 1944 in Los Angeles, California, Hutch was raised in Dallas, Texas. He joined a doo-wop group, The Ambassadors, as a teenager. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High, Hutch shortened his last name when he started his music career in 1964 on the Soul City label[3] with the song, "Love Has Put Me Down".

After his move to Los Angeles, his music caught the eye of the mentor for pop/soul quintet The 5th Dimension, and Hutch was soon writing, producing, and arranging songs for the group. In 1969, he signed with RCA Records and put out two albums before he was spotted by Motown producer Hal Davis, who wanted lyrics to his musical composition "I'll Be There", a song he penned for The Jackson 5. The song was recorded by the group the morning after Hutch received the call.[4] Motown CEO Berry Gordy signed Hutch to be a staff writer, arranger, producer, and musician shortly thereafter.

Hutch later co-wrote songs that were recorded by the Jackson 5 and their front man Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, the newly rechristened Miracles, and Marvin Gaye.[2] In 1973, Hutch started recording albums for Motown, releasing the Fully Exposed album that year. That same year, Hutch recorded and produced the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film, The Mack. Hutch had several R&B hits during this period, including "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" and "Slick". He also recorded the soundtrack for Foxy Brown.[2] Hutch recorded at least six albums for Motown, peaking with 1975's single "Love Power", which reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. He left Motown in 1977 for Norman Whitfield's Whitfield Records.

Hutch returned to Motown in 1982, where he scored the disco hit, "In and Out", that same year and also recorded a couple of song for the film The Last Dragon in 1985 called "The Glow" and "Inside You". Hutch left Motown again by the end of the decade and by 1994 had moved back to Dallas.

He died in 2005.[1] He is survived by six children, and was the uncle to Cold 187um of the rap group Above the Law.[1] His manager, Anthony Voyce, said of Hutch: "I've never met a more generous and caring person."[1]

Discography

Albums

RCA releases
  • 1969: Soul Portrait
  • 1970: Seasons for Love
Motown releases
  • 1973: Fully Exposed (R&B 15, Pop 183)
  • 1973: The Mack Soundtrack (R&B 17, Pop 114)
  • 1974: Foxy Brown Soundtrack (R&B 36, Pop 179)
  • 1974: Mark of the Beast (R&B 41)
  • 1975: Ode to My Lady (R&B 24, Pop 150)
  • 1976: Color Her Sunshine (R&B 54)
  • 1976: Concert in Blues (R&B 22, Pop 163)
  • 1977: Havin' a House Party (R&B 26)
  • 1985: Making A Game Out Of Love
Whitfield releases
  • 1978: In Tune (R&B 63)
  • 1979: Midnight Dancer
Motown releases
  • 1983: In & Out
Later releases
  • 1985: The Last Dragon
  • 1994: From the Heart (G.G. It)
  • 1996: The Mack Is Back (Midwest)
  • 2002: Sexalicious (G.G. It)

Charting singles

  • 1973: "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" (#18 R&B, #67 Pop)
  • 1973: "Slick" (#18 R&B, #65 Pop)
  • 1973: "Sunshine Lady" (#72 R&B)
  • 1974: "If You Ain't Got No Money (You Can't Get No Honey) Pt. I" (#70 R&B)
  • 1974: "Theme Of Foxy Brown" (#64 R&B)
  • 1975: "Get Ready For The Get Down" (#24 R&B)
  • 1975: "Love Power" (#8 R&B, #41 Pop)
  • 1976: "Let Me Be The One, Baby" (#95 R&B)
  • 1976: "Party Down" (#19 R&B)
  • 1977: "Shake It, Shake It" (#60 R&B)
  • 1977: "We Gonna Party Tonight" (#49 R&B)
  • 1978: "All American Funkathon" (#62 R&B)
  • 1978: "What You Gonna Do After The Party" (#40 R&B)
  • 1978: "Paradise" (#74 R&B)
  • 1982: "In And Out" (#55 R&B, #29 Dance) (UK #51[5])
  • 1985: "Keep on Jammin'" (UK #73[5])

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Obituary by Garth Cartwright, Guardian.co.uk, October 4, 2005. URL accessed on March 25, 2009.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 [Willie Hutch at All Music Guide allmusic Biography]
  3. Willie Hutch Page. Retrieved on August 8, 2009.
  4. Willie Hutch Page. Retrieved on August 8, 2009.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited.

External links

  • Willie Hutch. Find a Grave.
  • Willie Hutch: His Career in Pictures from the Soulwalking U.K. website
This page was last modified 21.01.2014 01:03:22

This article uses material from the article Willie Hutch from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.