Billy Davis Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Davis Jr. in 1977 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1938-06-26)June 26, 1938 (age 87) |
| Origin | St. Louis,Missouri, US |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician |
| Years active | 1950s–present |
| Labels | |
Spouse | |
| Website | mccoodavis |
Billy Davis Jr. (born June 26, 1938)[1] is an American singer and musician, best known as a member ofthe 5th Dimension. Along with his wifeMarilyn McCoo, he had hit records during 1976 and 1977 with "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In", "I Hope We Get to Love in Time", "Your Love", and "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)". Davis and McCoo were married in 1969. They became the first African-American married couple to host a network television series, titledThe Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. Show, on CBS in the summer of 1977, the year "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" won aGrammy Award.
Davis joinedThe 5th Dimension, then calledThe Versatiles, in 1966. The group's first big hit was with 1967's "Up, Up and Away", written byJimmy Webb. The song won four 1968Grammy Awards[2] and was the title track to the 5th Dimension's first hit LP. A year later, the group recorded the song "Stoned Soul Picnic". A medley of "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" (from the musicalHair) reached No. 1 on the USBillboard Hot 100 chart in April to May 1969[2] and won the Grammy Award forRecord of the Year.
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In 1975, Davis and McCoo left the 5th Dimension and began to perform as a duo.[2] Landing a contract with ABC Records, they recorded their 1976 debut albumI Hope We Get to Love in Time. The first single was the title track, which was a moderate hit. The follow-up "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" was an even bigger hit, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1977.[3] Davis and McCoo were awarded agold single and a gold album as well as aGrammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[4] Davis and McCoo were featured in an episode of the TV variety showCaptain and Tennille in the 1970s.[5] They also appeared together on "The Love Boat" Season 2 Episode 6 which aired on October 21, 1978.[6] The albumMarilyn and Billy featured the song "Saving All My Love for You", later turned into a number one hit byWhitney Houston.[7] Davis starred in the musicalBlues in the Night at the Old Globe Theatre.[8] In his guest appearances on the WB'sJamie Foxx Show in the 1990s, he and McCoo played the affluent parents of Foxx's girlfriend Fancy.[9]
In 2020, Davis and McCoo released their first new album in 30 years,Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons. EntrepreneurKathy Ireland released the album through her record label EE1.[10] The duo said it was a civil rights movement which became a human rights movement with a goal to encourage people to come together during trying times, as it was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11] During an interview about the album on June 29, 2021,Questlove called McCoo and Davis "the first couple of Pop and Soul." They would later appear in Questlove'sAcademy Award-winning directorial debut,Summer of Soul.[12]
Davis also appeared alongside McCoo in the 2021 documentarySummer of Soul where they reflected on their participation and impact of the 1969Harlem Cultural Festival. Davis and McCoo appeared as Brother William and Sister Harriet in "The Waltons: Homecoming" in 2021 and "A Waltons Thanksgiving" in 2022 on The CW Network.[13][14][15]
Billy Davis Jr. was born inSt. Louis,Missouri.[1] Davis and McCoo have been married for more than 50 years, since July 26, 1969.[2][16] In 1999, Davis was diagnosed with prostate cancer.[11]
Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [17] | US R&B [18] | |||
| 1976 | I Hope We Get to Love in Time | 30 | 7 | |
| 1977 | The Two of Us | 57 | 26 | |
| 1978 | Marilyn & Billy | 146 | 59 | |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [20] | US R&B [21] | US A/C [22] | US Dance [23] | NZ [24] | UK [25] | ||||
| 1976 | "I Hope We Get to Love in Time" | 91 | 37 | 9 | ― | ― | ― | I Hope We Get to Love in Time | |
| "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | 5 | 7 |
| ||
| 1977 | "Your Love" | 15 | 9 | 21 | ― | ― | ― | ||
| "Look What You've Done to My Heart" | 51 | 27 | 29 | ― | ― | ― | The Two of Us | ||
| "Wonderful" | ― | 76 | ― | ― | ― | ― | |||
| 1978 | "My Reason to Be Is You" | ― | 92 | 38 | ― | ― | ― | ||
| "Shine On Silver Moon" | ― | 86 | ― | 32 | ― | ― | Marilyn & Billy | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||||||
...my story begins on June 26, 1938, when I was born in St. Louis, Missouri...
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