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Peter James McCann (March 6, 1948 – January 26, 2023) was an American songwriter, musician, lecturer, and songwriters' activist. He was known for writing successful pop-rock and country songs, including his 1977 solo hit "Do You Wanna Make Love", and "Right Time of the Night" forJennifer Warnes.

AtFairfield University, McCann founded folk-rock group the Repairs, for which he served as guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter. He moved toLos Angeles in 1971 to record with the Repairs under theMotown label, and then was signed toABC Records as a staff writer. McCann moved toNashville in 1987 and began a long career as a staff writer and occasional recording artist. McCann also spent upwards of 25 years lobbying for songwriters' rights in Washington, giving lectures on copyright law in several institutes of higher education across the United States.^[1]

During his career, McCann had been signed as a recording artist toMotown,20th Century Fox,CBS Records andRCA Records. His songs have been recorded byLynn Anderson,Paul Anka,Karen Carpenter,Shaun Cassidy,Crystal Gayle,Mickey Gilley,Lee Greenwood,Whitney Houston,Julio Iglesias,Jermaine Jackson,Michael Johnson,Nicolette Larson,Kathy Mattea,Reba McEntire,Michael McDonald,Anne Murray,Ricky Nelson,The Oak Ridge Boys,K.T. Oslin,Donny Osmond,Buck Owens,Kenny Rogers,Ricky Skaggs,John Travolta,Bobby Vinton,Shelly West, among others.^{[2][better source needed]}

McCann was born inBridgeport, Connecticut, on March 6, 1948.^[3] He was the son of Donal George McCann, the music minister, organist and choirmaster at St. James Roman Catholic Church inStratford, Connecticut, and Amelia Teresa McCann (née Hennigan), a homemaker. McCann was of Irish, German, Eastern European, and Swedish descent.^{[citation needed]} Donald, who held a master's degree inGregorian Chant, taught atFairfield Woods Middle School inFairfield, Connecticut, and his eight children, all of whom were members of his St. James church choir, rehearsed weekly and sang in Sunday services, weddings, and funerals. Amelia was a pianist and a good singer who knew how to read sheet music, though she scarcely played in the house.^[2][4][5]

The McCanns were raisedRoman Catholic and received a Catholic education from Sacred Heart Grammar School in Bridgeport, taught by theSisters of Mercy. Peter went on toNotre Dame High School in Fairfield, taught by theHoly Cross Fathers, and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in History atFairfield University, aJesuit-run institution, specializing in the history ofcolonial America, theTudors, and the first fiveemperors of Rome.^[5][6]

In his freshman year at Fairfield University, McCann, abaritone, met fellow singers George Mathias, bass Emmett Kelly, and tenors Jim Higgins and Sebastian Fiori, all of whom joined theGlee club, with Jim taking the part sung by former member Michael McCann, Peter's older brother. At the time, it was rare for a freshman like Peter, attending Fairfield University on a scholarship, to make it into theGlee club as a freshman. The Glee club hosted several variety shows at which members alternated frombarbershop quartet formation, the Bensonians, to a 12-man group, similar to the YaleWhiffenpoofs.^[5]

Eventually, he met students Larry Treadwell, aHendrix-inspired electric guitarist; Jim Honeycutt, a folk guitarist and singer; and Mike Foley, arugby player who had picked up the bass. Peter began writing songs, influenced by folk music like theKingston Trio and theskiffle music played by Easton, Connecticut native band the Jackson Pike Skifflers, led by his sister Katie's husband Will Tressler. Led by Peter as a songwriter, keyboardist, electric guitarist, and vocalist, the students founded the folk-rock band the Repairs, which also featured drummer Timothy "Ace" Holleran and Jim's wife Sukie Honeycutt on vocals.^[5]

In 1971, the band accidentally stumbled intoAndrew Loog Oldham, producer ofthe Rolling Stones, who got the band signed toMotown and convinced the band to move toLA, where he produced two of their albums,Already A Household Word (1971) andRepairs (1972). During this time, Peter was continually writing songs, influenced byPaul Simon,Joni Mitchell,Billy Joel, andPaul McCartney, among others. Torn between attending law school and pursuing a career as a songwriter, McCann's father encouraged him to follow his dream. One year after the release of the group's 1974 live album,Repairs Live, McCann got signed toABC Records as a staff writer.^[5]

After roughly a year without high-profile songs, McCann's prospects looked sour. However, his big break came when he wrote the song "Right Time of the Night", personally chosen by infamousA&R man and formerColumbia Records presidentClive Davis asJennifer Warnes’ debut single. It went on to chart No. 6 on theBillboard Hot 100, No. 1 on theBillboardEasy Listening Chart, and No. 17 on theBillboard Hot Country Singles chart. It was the 34th highest song on the 1977Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Chart, above "Blinded by the Light" byManfred Mann's Earth Band and "Dreams" byFleetwood Mac.^[1]

This success prompted his signing to20th Century Fox Records, who released his self-penned single "Do You Wanna Make Love" in 1977. The single—produced by Hal Yoergler, Vice President of ABC Dunhill Music Publishing—was an international hit and sold over two million units. It reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 22 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. It was the 17th highest song on the 1977 Year-End Hot 100, eclipsingEagles' "Hotel California" andStevie Wonder's "Sir Duke". It also reached high chart positions in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. His 1977 debut album,Peter McCann, reached No. 82 on theBillboard 200.^[7]

In 1978CBS, nowSony Music, purchased his contract from the Fox organization and began a fruitful, 20-year relation with him as a songwriter inNashville, Tennessee.^[5]

When McCann first moved to Nashville, he didn't know how to readsheet music and had only written songs alone; he didn't know how to collaborate with others. He learned quickly enough through a process he dubbed “publisher cross-polarization,” writing with as many people as possible for profit, all “hoping St. Nicholas soon would be there” in the form of a hit song. McCann recalled all the writers had the attitude that they “knew how to write a song and didn't need to practice. If you didn't catch fire, we stopped, and didn't want to waste energy writing an insufficient song”. McCann first saw the value of collaboration after talking withWalter Becker ofSteely Dan in the mid-70s; both signed to ABC at the time. Walter played him an original song, "Android Warehouse", and McCann asked him why he needed to write with his partnerDonald Fagen, as the song was already good enough. Becker answered, “Well, I don't know how to start a song, and he doesn't know how to finish one!”^[1]

The first songwriter he collaborated with wasRichard Leigh, known for hisGrammy Award-winningCountry Song “Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” forCrystal Gayle. Although the pair were both learned in composition and lyric-writing, Peter was more lyric-oriented, while Richard was more melody-oriented. They’d try writing something in the morning; if it were working, they’d have lunch and go back; if not, they’d go out to the bar and complete the next session. Eventually, publishers started telling him that he'd “forgotten how to write a bad song.” Nevertheless, Peter wanted to write great songs, as those were the ones that sold. The Leigh-McCann collaboration gleaned the country song “Wall of Tears”, recorded byK.T. Oslin and laterFrances Black. Although it was only a moderate success on the US Country Charts, No. 40, it was huge inIreland, where it sold 1 million copies (out of a population of only 3.5 million).

By this time, McCann was a successful Nashville songwriter. He had written 55 songs in his first year in Nashville. In a bar, he metHarlan Howard, one of the most enduring and successful country songwriters of all time. Harlan told him he “needed to go back to LA,” saying, “every one of those chart positions is mine, and you're molestin’ my hunt.” Eventually, Harlan warmed up to him. Peter recalled Harlan told him that country music was “three chords and the truth.” He joked that after much pleading, he convinced Harlan to let him add an extra chord to the song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 1982. McCann often joked that they wish you could copyright a song title, referencingMariah Carey's hit single by the same name.^[5]

McCann's hits in country music include the Grammy-nominated performance "She's Single Again" byJanie Fricke and the No. 1, "Nobody Falls Like a Fool" byEarl Thomas Conley. In 1991,Baillie and the Boys had a hit with "Treat Me Like a Stranger". McCann also had a song on one of the largest selling female debut albums of all time (Whitney Houston) whenWhitney Houston recorded his song "Take Good Care of My Heart". His song "The Star" appeared onKathy Mattea's Grammy winning Christmas album.Isaac Hayes andMillie Jackson took their hit duet version of "Do You Wanna Make Love" up the R&B chart.^[2]

In 2012, McCann concluded a three-year contract with GrandVista Music in Nashville as a staff writer.^[5]

Throughout his career McCann was active for the rights of songwriters and publishers, lecturing forNSAI,SESAC,ASCAP, andBMI. He also lectured at theUniversity of Southern California,UC Santa Barbara,George Washington University Law School,University of Tennessee Law School,Belmont University andVanderbilt University, the latter at which he taughtgratis music classes for the students. In his later years, he lobbiedpro bono inWashington, D.C., on copyright issues. McCann was a vice-president and board member of NSAI.^[5]

Being influential in several PRO circles, McCann was among the people pushing forBob Dylan to receive theNobel Prize for literature. He also pushed forPaul Simon to receive the honor. One time, Peter ran into Paul, inquiring on the fact that there had been legal action taken against him, to which he replied “you're nobody until somebody sues you."^[5]

On the morning of January 26, 2023, McCann died in his sleep at his Nashville home. He was 74. McCann was survived by his wife and son.^[8][9]

In 1995 he won NSAI's President's Choice award for his work in copyright protection.

In May 1999, thenAttorney GeneralJanet Reno presented McCann with the Volunteerism Award from theNational Center for Missing and Exploited Children, for composing "Among the Missing" as an anthem for the Center's free use. Alongside co-producersGeorge Massenburg andGary Paczosa, he produced the video, arranged the strings, and co-produced the recording of the song, performed byMichael McDonald andKathy Mattea.

In 1995, McCann released a Christmas album of his own compositions on RCA Records, of which one of the songs, "One Voice", received critical acclaim and a letter of commendation fromPope John Paul II.

In 2003, he won a special commendation from SESAC for his continuing efforts to strengthen the nation's copyright laws.

• *Record World Singles Chart.^[11]

• Peter McCann discography atDiscogs
• Peter McCann atIMDb

• 1948 births
• 2023 deaths
• American male pop singers
• Songwriters from Connecticut
• Musicians from Bridgeport, Connecticut
• Songwriters from New York (state)
• Fairfield University alumni
• American male songwriters

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