Marilyn, Billy still solid as a rock
Very few husband-and-wife duets stay together for a long time on- and off-stage. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. have been at it for more than 40 years.
Career-wise, they were fortunate to have joined The 5th Dimension, one of the most popular pop-R&B vocal groups of the late 1960s. Leaving the group in 1975, McCoo and Davis gained wider fame as a duo even while venturing in solo projects.
The Inquirer chatted with them via e-mail a few weeks before their concert on July 7 at the Araneta Coliseum.
In its early years, what was The 5th Dimension’s greatest inspiration, or did it pattern itself after another group?
Our concept was to mix a little jazz and R&B for our sound. Then (singer-songwriter-producer) Johnny Rivers came along and started us down the road of pop. He got us to record The Mamas & the Papas song “Go Where You Wanna Go.” He believed it would be a hit for us and we stayed on that path.
The group was also fortunate to have recorded songs by great composers like Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro. While Webb gave “Up, Up and Away” to the group, whose idea was it to cover Nyro’s songs (“Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoned Soul Picnic”) and what did you like about those songs?
We thank Marc Gordon, who was our manager and co-producer with Johnny Rivers for bringing Jimmy Webb to us. We thank our producer Bones Howe for finding Laura Nyro. We liked her songs because they were refreshing and different from anything that was out there. She captured the spirit of the times in her songs. They spoke of life.
Billy, was it love at first sight when you met Marilyn?
To tell you the truth, it was not love at first sight. (But) we immediately became friends. That friendship grew into a relationship that continued to get stronger every day. I believe love grew from the friendship.
Marilyn, did you have a boyfriend when you first met Billy?
I was in a relationship when I met Billy, but that did not stop our friendship from developing. We were both passionate about our music and Billy has a great sense of humor. He also has a very understanding nature and I could talk to him about almost anything.
What was good and bad about having a relationship with another member in the group?
What was good about it was we had each other all the time and we didn’t have to leave the other spouse at home. What was bad was that we took our work home with us. Also when Billy and I had disagreements, we argued in front of the group. They had to live with it.
How did you use your influence at the peak of your popularity?
Marilyn: As a group we were concerned with higher education being available to people who couldn’t afford it. We helped raise money for an organization called the United Negro College Fund.
Billy: In the 1980s Marilyn used her influence as the host of “Solid Gold” to help support and participate in the Live Aid concert.
We were also involved in children’s health issues and helped The Children’s Miracle Network which raises money for children’s hospitals around the world. Today we continue to support its efforts.
We are likewise concerned with homelessness in our cities. We work very closely with the Los Angeles Mission.
Who are the artists who have influenced your careers?
Billy: Ray Charles was a big influence. Just watching his dedication and professionalism taught me what I needed to do, to have longevity. He had no sight and was able to achieve so much.
Marilyn: I’ve always been impressed with Barbra Streisand and how she knew her strengths in music and how to present them. Sometimes as artists we want to adapt music styles that are not necessarily best for us. A lot of time can be wasted. Streisand always seemed to know.
Manila is the only Asian date in your concert schedule. Are you preparing something different for us?
There are songs we sing today that Filipinos won’t expect us to do.
