Willie Hutch

Hutch worked between 1944 and 2005 across singer-songwriter, songwriter, singer, record producer and guitarist and 3 further recorded occupations. The registers place that work in soul. This article rests on 50 catalogued compositions, 24 issued recordings, 1 digitised documents and 24 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Willie Hutch • Birth Name — William McKinley Hutchison • Born — 6 December 1944 • Birthplace — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Died — 19 September 2005 • Place of death — Dallas, Texas, U.S. • Origin — Dallas, Texas, U.S. • Genre — * Funk • soul • Instrument — Vocals, guitar • Occupation — Singer, musician, recording artist, producer, songwriter • Years Active — 1969–2005 • Label — RCA, Motown, Whitfield

Born in 1944 in Los Angeles, Hutch was raised in Dallas, Texas. He joined the high school choral group, The Ambassadors, as a teenager. After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School in 1962, he shortened his surname when he started his music career in 1964 on the Soul City label with the song "Love Has Put Me Down". After his move to Los Angeles, his music came to the attention 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 asked by Motown producer Hal Davis to write lyrics to "I'll Be There", a song he wrote for The Jackson 5. The song was recorded by the group the morning after Hutch received the call. Motown CEO Berry Gordy signed Hutch to be a staff writer, arranger, producer, and musician shortly thereafter. Hutch later co-wrote songs that were recorded by the Jackson 5 and their front man Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, the 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 had several R&B hits during this period, including "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" and "Slick". He also recorded the soundtrack for the 1974 film Foxy Brown. He recorded at least six albums for Motown, peaking with 1975's single "Love Power", which reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. He left Motown 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 couple of songs – "The Glow" and "Inside You" – for the 1985 film The Last Dragon. He had a club hit with the song "Keep on Jammin'" as well. Hutch left Motown again by the end of the decade and by 1994 had moved back to Dallas. He died in Dallas, Texas on September 19, 2005, aged 60. No cause was given when he died. He was the uncle of Cold 187um of the rap group Above the Law as well as rapper and singer Kokane. His manager, Anthony Voyce, said of Hutch: "I've never met a more generous and caring person."

• Year — Album — Chart positions — Label • US Pop — US R&B • 1969 — Soul Portrait — — — — — RCA • 1970 — Season for Love — — — — • 1973 — Fully Exposed — 183 — 15 — Motown • The Mack (soundtrack) — 114 — 17 • 1974 — Foxy Brown (soundtrack) — 179 — 36 • Mark of the Beast — — — 41 • 1975 — Ode to My Lady — 150 — 24 • 1976 — Color Her Sunshine — — — 54 • Concert in Blues — 163 — 22 • 1977 — Havin' a House Party — — — 26 • 1978 — In Tune — — — 63 — Whitfield • 1979 — Midnight Dancer — — — — • 1985 — Making a Game Out of Love — — — — — Motown • 1994 — From the Heart — — — — — Omni Records • 1996 — The Mack Is Back — — — — — Midwest Records • 2002 — Sexalicious — — — — — GG.it Records • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

• In and Out (1983) • Try It You'll Like It (The Best of Willie Hutch) (2003)

• Year — Single — Peak chart positions — Album • US Pop — US R&B — US Dance — UK • 1965 — "The Duck" — ― — — — ― — ― — rowspan="4" • 1966 — "I Can't Get Enough" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1967 — "How Come Baby, You Don't Love Me" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1968 — "Use What You Got" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1969 — "Do What You Wanna Do" — ― — — — ― — ― — Soul Portrait • 1970 — "Walking on My Love" — ― — — — ― — ― — Season for Love • "When a Boy Falls in Love" — ― — — — ― — ― • "Love Games" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1973 — "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" — 67 — 18 — ― — ― — The Mack • "Slick" — 65 — 18 — ― — ― • "Sunshine Lady" — ― — 72 — ― — ― — Fully Exposed • "If You Ain't Got No Money (You Can't Get No Honey)" — ― — 70 — ― — ― • 1974 — "Theme of Foxy Brown" — ― — 64 — ― — ― — Foxy Brown • "Foxy Lady" — ― — — — ― — ― • "Chase" — ― — — — ― — ― • "Ain't That (Mellow, Mellow)" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1975 — "Get Ready for the Get Down" — ― — 24 — ― — ― — The Mark of the Beast • "Love Power" — 41 — 8 — ― — ― — Ode to My Lady • 1976 — "Party Down" — ― — 19 — ― — ― • "Let Me Be the One, Baby" — ― — 95 — ― — ― — Color Her Sunshine • "Shake It, Shake It" — ― — 60 — ― — ― • 1977 — "We Gonna Party Tonight" — ― — 49 — ― — ― — Havin' a House Party • "We Gonna Have a House Party" — ― — — — ― — ― • "What You Gonna Do After the Party" — ― — 40 — ― — ― • 1978 — "All American Funkathon" — ― — 62 — ― — ― — In Tune • "Paradise" — ― — 74 — ― — ― • "Come On and Dance with Me" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1979 — "Everybody Needs Money" — ― — — — ― — ― — Midnight Dancer • "Kelly Green" — ― — — — ― — ― • 1982 — "In and Out" — ― — 55 — 29 — 51 — In and Out • 1985 — "Keep on Jammin'" — ― — ― — ― — 73 — Making a Game Out of Love • "The Glow" — ― — ― — ― — ― — Making a Game Out of Love and The Last Dragon: Original Soundtrack Album • 1991 — "I Choose You" — ― — — — ― — ― — The Mack • "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Willie Hutch was born on 6 December 1944 in Los Angeles. Hutch held the nationality of United States. Hutch was educated at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Hutch worked as singer-songwriter, songwriter, singer and record producer, and the authority record catalogues a further 4 occupations under the same name, among them guitarist, recording artist, composer and musician. Hutch was active from 1969. The fields Hutch worked in include soul. Hutch played the guitar and the voice. Hutch worked in English. Hutch died on 19 September 2005 in Dallas. Hutch is buried at Restland Memorial Park.