Victor Willis, Village People Lead Singer, Dies at 74
Victor Willis, the original frontman of the Village People, died at age 74 after a brief illness, according to his family.
Victor Willis, who fronted the disco group Village People and performed as the "Cop/Admiral" character, died on Tuesday at the age of 74, the band announced on social media. His wife posted on his official Facebook page that he succumbed to a "short, but aggressive" illness and asked for privacy for the family.
Born in Texas in 1951, Willis grew up singing gospel music in his father's Baptist church. He joined producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo in 1977 to form the Village People, leaving and rejoining the group several times before returning permanently in 2017. Willis noted that he never expected the 1978 hit "Y.M.C.A." to become a global anthem, later expressing gratitude that the group's music had brought joy for more than four decades.
"Y.M.C.A." was added to the National Recording Registry in 2020 and entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021. Former President Donald Trump, who has used the song at campaign events, posted a tribute on social media, recalling the track's renewed popularity.
Willis was previously married to actress Phylicia Rashad and, at the time of his death, was survived by his wife Karen Huff-Willis, an entertainment executive and attorney.
