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Long Playing Rose Marie McCoy is still churning out the tunes at 92

/(r GUY ARSENEAU SHE GREW UP inanagewhenracial discrimination was backed by the law. She was marginalized because of her gender and faced the challenges of crushing poverty on a daily basis. But Rose Marie McCoy endured, going on to become a prolific with a career that has spanned six decades. Her works - crossings genres from rhythm and to pop, rock, country and gospel- have become anthems for an eclectic group of singers. Johnny Mathis, , , Eartha Kitt, , Bette Midler, Patti Page and all recorded her songs. Among her most notable works, "I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine," by Ike and Tina Turner, was awarded a Gold Record and was nominated for a Gram my Award. A well-known resident of Teaneck since 1955, McCoy, now 92, lives in a comfortable, unassuming home she characterizes as "filled with reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes and old records. I've got boxes and boxes of songs - country, gospel and pop. I keep all the old tapes of music. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with a new song in my head." Continuing to work well past the conventional age I Con tinue on Page 86

SEPTEMBER 2C 14 84 I nj.com inside-jersey Rose Marie Mc:Coy was no place to begin a music career, With more than 850 songs to her I Continuedfrom Page 84 McCoy traveled to in name, reflecting America's history for retirement, McCoy collaborated 1942 at the age ofl9. "I had $6 to my and development from the mid-20th with her current songvvriting partner, name and felt lucky getting a job ironing century to the present, McCoy faces one Billy Joe Conor, on his 2013 CD, shirts in a Chinese hand laundry," she obvious question: eponymouslytitled "Billy Joe Conor." says. "On weekends, I sang in nightclubs "Out of all the songs you've written, Melding pop and , McCoy all across New Jersey." which one is your favorite?" and Co nor consider these works among She eventually realized, however, Without missing a beat, she smiles the best songs of their respective that her talent as a songwriter, not a and says, "The last one I heard playing careers. singer, would be the catalyst for a career on the radio." w Fiercely independent, McCoy in the music business. She began at resisted numerous invitations over Manhattan's iconic Brill Building, the the years to join major record labels. epicenter of American pop , Atlantic and music songvvriting known ' My whole ambition was to get sought out her talents to no avail. as "The Hit Factory." enough money so my parents could AI Bell, the former head ofStax and "Many of the Motown Records has said about McCoy: songvvriters, such as stop working in the fields.'

"She realized, at some point, that her Rose, who worked at the ROSE MARIE McCOY power was in the pen. She's just one of Brill Building, met at a nearby those rare persons who wants to be free restaurant. People would scribble to write her own songs her own way." song lyrics on napkins and paper And McCoy has lived life on her bags," says R&B singer Maxine own terms, as well. Arlene Corsano, Brown. "A lot of the songs people who describes herself as McCoy's "full­ heard back in the early '50s were time friend and part-time publicist," is written that way." writing a biography of the songwriter, It was during this period when scheduled to be published at the end McCoy and her then-songvvriting­ of the year. The songvvriter also has partner, Charlie Singleton, wrote a been honored for contributions to song that became part of black culture and entertainment by history. the Schomburg Center for Research in The ballad, "Tryin' to Get to Black Culture in New York. And a 2009 You," which had been written NPR documentary, "Lady Writes the for '50s R&B group The Eagles, Blues: The Rose Marie McCoy Story," also caught the attention of a continues to air on public broadcasting young singer who was eager to stations across the country. add the tune to his repertoire. Born in a tin-topped shack, McCoy He signed with RCA Records grew up on a farm in the tiny backwater only after the company agreed community of Oneida, Ark. "It's the that "Tryin' to Get to You" would kind of place you pass through without be his first recording on the label. even knowing you're passing through But McCoy was not impressed it," she says. when she Scratching out a living on the proverbial40 acres, McCoy spent her childhood helping her parents and siblings cultivate cotton and corn, and Toreada raise chickens. * transcript of "My whole ambition was to get heard the singer's interpretation "Lady Writes enough money so my parents could of her song. "We thought he the Blues: stop working in the fields. I didn't was terrible because we didn't The Rose Marie know anything about or the believe he could sing that well," McCoy Story.'" songvvriting business at that time. My she says. visit npr. org. brother-in-law gave me a big surprise The album that included when he told me, 'When you're a "Tryin' to Get to You" spent 10 professional singer, they pay you.' " weeks at No.1. The singer was Aware that hardscrabble rural .

In Memoriam, April19, 1922- January 20, 2015

~EPTE MBFR