▲ Victor Willis
Victor Willis, the lead singer of the disco group Village People, passed away on June 30, his spouse announced on Facebook.
According to AFP on Wednesday, July 1 (local time), Willis's spouse stated on his official Facebook account, "It is with deep sadness that I share the news of my husband Victor Willis's passing," adding, "Victor passed away following a short but rapidly progressing illness."
Although Village People was formed in New York, the group made its debut in the United Kingdom in 1977 with the single "San Francisco."
They later moved to the United States and released a series of hit songs starting in 1978.
Riding the global disco boom of the late 1970s, the group produced hits such as "Macho Man," "San Francisco," and "Can't Stop The Music," in addition to "Y.M.C.A." and "Go West."
Their signature song "Y.M.C.A.," famous for its upbeat chorus, contains lyrics about the community centers operated by the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), a global non-profit organization, in various U.S. cities.
Decades after its release, the song gained renewed attention as it was frequently used at campaign rallies for U.S. President Donald Trump.
President Trump began dancing to the song toward the end of his 2020 election campaign.
On the social media platform Truth Social, President Trump wrote, "He was a great and happy man who loved playing Y.M.C.A. at my rallies," adding, "Because my rally crowds were record-breaking, many singers wanted to join us, but Victor and the Village People were with us from the beginning."
He continued, "We will think of Victor every time Y.M.C.A. plays," expressing his condolences.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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