Roquel "Billy" Davis

Billy Davis | Spectropop | tc152

Roquel “Billy” Davis was born in Detroit on July 11, 1932. He was a songwriter, musician and record producer. He was associated with the Four Tops and other Detroit acts. (One cousin was Lawrence Payton of the Four Tops.)

He had a long association with Chess Records writing, arranging and producing for many of their 1960s soul artists. His biggest success was the Fontella Bass recording of “Rescue Me”.

He moved to become Senior Vice-President and Music Director at the McCann Erickson advertising agency, where his work included commercials for Coca-Cola.

Billy Davis died of natural causes in New York on September 2, 2004.

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