Willie Hutch
Encyclopedia
Willie McKinley Hutchison, known professionally as Willie Hutch (December 6, 1944 — September 19, 2005) was an American
singer
, songwriter
as well as a record producer
and recording artist for the Motown
record label
during the 1970s and 1980s.
, California
, Hutch was raised in Dallas, Texas
and joined a doo-wop group, The Ambassadors, as a teenager. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High, Hutch shortened his last name as he started his music career in 1964 on the Soul City label with the song, "Love Has Put Me Down."
Moving to Los Angeles
, his music eventually 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," which was to be for The Jackson 5
. The song was recorded by the group the next morning after Hutch received the call. Motown CEO Berry Gordy
signed Hutch to be a staff writer, arranger, producer, and musician shortly there afterward.
Hutch's later collaborations would be with the Jackson 5 and their front man Michael Jackson
, Smokey Robinson
, the newly rechristened Miracles
and Marvin Gaye
. 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 would have several R&B hits during this period, including "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" and "Slick" and also recorded the soundtrack for Foxy Brown. Hutch would record at least six albums for Motown, peaking with 1975's "Love Power," which reached number forty-one on the Billboard Hot 100
before leaving the label 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 song for the film The Last Dragon
in 1985. Hutch left Motown again by the end of the decade and by 1994 had moved back to Dallas. Hutch continued to record and perform while living comfortably on royalties
from old hits and new samples
. His manager
, Anthony Voyce, said of Hutch: "I've never met a more generous and caring person." He died in 2005.
He is survived by six children, and was the uncle to Cold 187um
of the rap
group Above the Law
.
releases:
Motown releases:
Whitfield
releases:
Motown releases:
Later releases:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
as well as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and recording artist for the Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Biography
Born Willie McKinley Hutchinson in 1944 in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Hutch was raised in Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and joined a doo-wop group, The Ambassadors, as a teenager. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High, Hutch shortened his last name as he started his music career in 1964 on the Soul City label with the song, "Love Has Put Me Down."
Moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, his music eventually 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
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
and put out two albums before he was spotted by Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
producer Hal Davis
Hal Davis
Harold Edward "Hal" Davis was an African American songwriter and record producer, best known as the key figure in the latter part of the Motown career of The Jackson 5....
, who wanted lyrics to his musical composition "I'll Be There," which was to be for The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
. The song was recorded by the group the next morning after Hutch received the call. Motown CEO Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
signed Hutch to be a staff writer, arranger, producer, and musician shortly there afterward.
Hutch's later collaborations would be with the Jackson 5 and their front man Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, the newly rechristened Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
. 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
The Mack
The Mack is a 1973 blaxploitation film starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor. Although the movie was produced during the era of such blaxploitation movies as Dolemite, its producers do not label it a true blaxploitation picture...
. Hutch would have several R&B hits during this period, including "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" and "Slick" and also recorded the soundtrack for Foxy Brown. Hutch would record at least six albums for Motown, peaking with 1975's "Love Power," which reached number forty-one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
before leaving the label in 1977 for Norman Whitfield
Norman Whitfield
Norman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
's Whitfield Records.
Hutch returned to Motown in 1982 where he scored the disco hit, "In and Out
In and Out (Willie Hutch song)
"In and Out" is a song written and produced by Willie Hutch. It was released in 1982 by Motown Records. B-side is a song called "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" which was featured in the 1973 blaxploitation film The Mack...
," that same year and also recorded a song for the film The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon is a 1985 martial arts musical film produced by Rupert Hitzig for Berry Gordy and directed by Michael Schultz. The film was a critical disappointment but a financial success, The Last Dragon is now considered a cult classic. The film stars Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher...
in 1985. Hutch left Motown again by the end of the decade and by 1994 had moved back to Dallas. Hutch continued to record and perform while living comfortably on royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
from old hits and new samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. His manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, Anthony Voyce, said of Hutch: "I've never met a more generous and caring person." He died in 2005.
He is survived by six children, and was the uncle to Cold 187um
Cold 187um
Gregory Fernan Hutchinson , better known by his stage names Big Hutch and Cold 187 um, is an African American rapper and producer, and the lead act of the rap group Above the Law. The group signed to Ruthless Records in late 1989, releasing their debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990...
of the rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
group Above the Law
Above the Law
Above the Law may refer to:*legibus solutus, doctrine of Roman Law*Above the Law , a law blog*Righting Wrongs, a 1986 Hong Kong film titled "Above the Law" for international release...
.
Albums
RCARCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
releases:
- 1969: Soul Portrait
- 1970: Seasons for Love
Motown releases:
- 1973: Fully ExposedFully ExposedFully Exposed was the third studio album by soul musician, songwriter, and record producer Willie Hutch. It was released in 1973 on Motown Records, the same year as Hutch's soundtrack to The Mack.-Track listing:...
(R&B 15, Pop 183) - 1973: The MackThe MackThe Mack is a 1973 blaxploitation film starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor. Although the movie was produced during the era of such blaxploitation movies as Dolemite, its producers do not label it a true blaxploitation picture...
Soundtrack (R&B 17, Pop 114) - 1974: Foxy BrownFoxy Brown (1974 film)Foxy Brown is a 1974 blaxploitation film written and directed by Jack Hill. It stars Pam Grier as the title character, described by one character as "a whole lot of woman" who showcases unrelenting black sexiness while battling the villains.- Plot :...
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
Whitfield Records
Whitfield Records was a record label, founded in 1975 by former Motown producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield and active until 1982. Whitfield Records was distributed throughout its entire existence by Warner Bros...
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 OutIn and Out (Willie Hutch song)"In and Out" is a song written and produced by Willie Hutch. It was released in 1982 by Motown Records. B-side is a song called "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" which was featured in the 1973 blaxploitation film The Mack...
" (#55 R&B, #29 Dance) (UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#51) - 1985: "Keep on Jammin'" (UK #73)