lit a candle 2 Sept 2026Put the record on tonight and sat in the dark. Still gives me chills.
Their story
Victor Edward Willis was born on 1 July 1951 and died on 30 June 2026, a day short of his seventy-fifth birthday. An American singer and songwriter, he was one of the founders of the disco group Village People, and it was his voice that led their records. He also…
Victor Edward Willis was born on 1 July 1951 and died on 30 June 2026, a day short of his seventy-fifth birthday. An American singer and songwriter, he was one of the founders of the disco group Village People, and it was his voice that led their records. He also had a hand in writing every one of their biggest singles.
His first stage was his father's Baptist church, where the preacher's son learned to sing. Later, with training in both acting and dance behind him, he made his way to New York and was taken into the distinguished Negro Ensemble Company.
Theatre remained part of his life, and he appeared in a good many plays and musicals, among them the original Broadway staging of The Wiz in 1976 and, afterwards, the Australian production. With Village People he was the man in costume, sometimes a policeman, sometimes a naval officer.
Biography adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retold in our own words. Wikipedia ↗
Photos
1Victor Willis performing in 2008
by People Forever
This made me cry. Thank you.
Couldn't agree more.