Billy Davis Junior

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Billy Davis Junior on The Fifth Dimension (1970)

Billy Davis Jr. (born June 26, 1938 in St. Louis , Missouri ) is an American musician . He became famous as a member of the band The 5th Dimension and in a duet with his spouse Marilyn McCoo .

life and career

Billy Davis Jr. was born in St. Louis in 1938, where he sang in local bands while in high school. During this time, Davis also met his future bandmates, who like him all moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a musician. In 1966 he finally became a member of the band The Versatiles , which had been founded the year before and which later renamed themselves The 5th Dimension . In 1967 the group had their first major success with the single Up, Up and Away , which was awarded in five categories at the 1968 Grammy Awards , including Song of the Year.

In 1969 the group achieved their greatest success with the medley Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In , which reached number one on the Billboard charts. Davis sang the male solo part in the back of the medley. In the same year the group was able to win another Grammy Award for Song of the Year. More chart successes followed, including several songs with Davis as the lead singer.

In 1975 Davis left The 5th Dimension with Marilyn McCoo to embark on a solo career. The couple had married in 1969. The joint debut album I Hope We Get to Love in Time was released in 1976. The single You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show) reached number one on the Billboard charts in January 1977. Davis and McCoo received a Grammy Award for the best R&B recording. In the summer of 1977, the couple hosted their own television show called The Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. Show . In 1978 Davis and McCoo released the single Saving All My Love for You , which achieved great success in 1985 with a cover version by Whitney Houston .

In 1982 Davis released a gospel album entitled Let Me Have A Dream , which he recorded with the Reverend James Cleveland's choir. In the following years Davis appeared as a singer in several musicals and was involved in recordings of other musicians. He is still active as a musician with his wife Marilyn McCoo and appears with her regularly on TV and talk shows.

Discography

Chart positions
Explanation of the data
Singles
I Hope We Get To Love In Time (with Marilyn McCoo )
  US 91 03/27/1976 (6 weeks)
You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show) (with Marilyn McCoo)
  UK 7th 03/19/1977 (9 weeks)
  US 1Template: Infobox chart placements / maintenance / NR1 link 09/11/1976 (26 weeks)
Your Love (with Marilyn McCoo)
  US 15th 03/19/1977 (11 weeks)
Look What You've Done To My Heart (with Marilyn McCoo)
  US 51 08/20/1977 (7 weeks)

Solo albums

  • 1982: Let Me Have A Dream
  • 1986: I've Been Thinking About You
  • 1987: Party Line

With Marilyn McCoo

  • 1976: I Hope We Get to Love in Time
  • 1978: Marilyn and Billy
  • 2008: The Many Faces of Love

Web links

Commons : Billy Davis junior  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Mary Pickels: Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr. head 'Up, Up and Away' to Palace Theater. In: triblive.com. August 15, 2019, accessed on May 28, 2020 .
  2. Chart sources: UK US