Willie Hutch
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Biography
A multifaceted musical mind, Willie Hutch (born William McKinley Hutchison) was a force both behind the microphone and behind the scenes, whether with his own music -- which proved irresistible for the soundtracks of blaxploitation films -- or as a songwriter, producer, and arranger for artists including the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Patti LaBelle, Etta James, and Smokey Robinson.
Raised in Dallas, Texas, Hutch moved back to his birthplace of Los Angeles, where he worked behind the scenes for âchampagne soulâ outfit the 5th Dimension before being invited into the fold at Motown. He proved himself by helping write âIâll Be Thereâ, a Number 1 hit for the Jackson 5, and thereafter became a fixture at Berry Gordyâs legendary label. He also released his own records, beginning with a pair for RCA, and then off-and-on with Motown well into the 1980s.
In the early 1970s, another outlet for Hutchâs music presented itself, which would raise his stature as a solo artist. After the successes of Shaft and Superfly, which featured exceptional soundtracks from Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, the blaxploitation wave was in full effect, and the next batch of movies needed cool, soulful music to match with the on-screen grit and heroism. Hutchâs emphatic but smooth vocals were a perfect fit, and he helmed soundtracks for staples of the genre The Mack and Foxy Brown, and contributed songs to Gordyâs late-night classic The Last Dragon".
As the â70s went on, Hutch continued releasing records that showed off various sides of his persona, from sensual lover man to dance floor instigator. As soul and funk gradually gave way to disco, Hutch was there, delivering the hit song âIn and Outâ in 1982, which would prove to be his last significant single. A pair of new albums arrived in the â90s, and a final release, Sexalicious, followed in 2002. He died in Texas in 2006.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Slick
- Theme Of Foxy Brown
- I Choose You
- Brother's Gonna Work It Out
- I'm Gonna Stay
- The Mark Of The Beast
- Try It, You'll Like It
- Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold
- Ain't Nothing Like Togetherness
- I Just Wanted To Make Her Happy
- California My Way
- I Wanna Be Where You Are
- Can't Get Ready For Losing You
- Inside You by The Temptations
- The Glow
- Do The Thing That's Best For You
- Don't You Let Nobody Tell You How To Do Your Thing
- I'll Be There
- Woman You Touched Me
- The Way We Were
- Second to None featuring Willie Hutch
- Stormy Weather
- Keep on Doin' What You Do
- Stormy Weather by Willie Hutch
