32 Facts About Van McCoy

Van Allen Clinton McCoy was an American record producer, arranger, songwriter and singer.

Van McCoy is known for his 1975 internationally successful hit "The Hustle".

Van McCoy was born on January 6,1940, in Washington, DC, the second child of Norman S McCoy, Sr.

Van McCoy learned to play piano at a young age and sang with the Metropolitan Baptist Church choir as a youngster.

Van McCoy went on to write a string of hits as the 1960s progressed.

Cash Box reported in the June 13,1964, issue that Van McCoy was appointed to the position of staff writer for the music publishing company April-Blackwood Music.

Van McCoy's duties included writing music and lyrics for all their labels, major and independent labels.

Van McCoy had the responsibility to maintain the liaison with artists and producers.

Around 1965, Van McCoy was promoting the Sweet Things, a female vocal outfit.

Van McCoy ended up arranging and co-producing their first hit, "Let's Fall in Love", for the Columbia subsidiary Date in 1966.

An article appeared in the March 11,1967 issue of Cash Box informing readers that McCoy had left Daedalus Productions and had started his own production company, VMP.

Van McCoy had success with David Ruffin's comeback album, Who I Am, featuring "Walk Away from Love", in the US and a UK top 10 success.

Van McCoy went on to produce the next two albums for Ruffin, which spawned further successes.

Van McCoy was still at Dunbar High School at the time.

In 1966, Van McCoy recorded a solo LP for Columbia entitled Night Time Is Lonely Time.

In 1975, Van McCoy released to low expectations the mostly instrumental LP Disco Baby for the Avco label.

Van McCoy had four of his songs on the Discotheque Hit Parade.

On June 19,1975, Van McCoy was in Montreal, Canada, attending a reception hosted by Quality Records at the Limelight night club.

Van McCoy was honored by members of the Washington broadcasting and political community.

Van McCoy did interviews with radio stations WKYS, WOL and WHUR with the latter honoring his in their programs all day.

Van McCoy did interviews for television stations which included TTG -TV.

On New Years Eve, December 31,1976, Van McCoy performed with band Stuff and brought in the new year at The Bottom Line, singing "When I Fall in Love".

In 1979, Van McCoy was still connected with the disco scene.

Van McCoy was pictured with a bunch of people in New York during the National Disco Convention.

On June 29,1979, Van McCoy suffered a heart attack at his home in Englewood, New Jersey.

Van McCoy was hospitalized and went into a coma, but died at Englewood Hospital a week later at the age of 39.

Van McCoy is buried in the McCoy family plot at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC.

Van McCoy was set to marry Kendra Spotswood in the spring of 1966.

Van McCoy doted on his brother's four children and would give them gifts from places he went.

Van McCoy was greatly affected by the sudden death of his mother in 1973 from a brain hemorrhage and the death of his grandmother Mary Lindsay Ray in August 1976.

Van McCoy appeared on the Mike Douglas Show and was a regular guest on The Tonight Show.

Van McCoy contributed some music for A Woman Called Moses.