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ANNOUNCE THEIR FIRST STUDIO ALBUM IN OVER
30 YEARS
MARILYN McCOO AND BILLY DAVIS JR.
"BLACKBIRD: LENNON-MCCARTNEY ICONS"
OUT 30 APRIL 2021 ON ENCORE ENDEAVOR 1 / BMG
Pre-Order/Pre-Save "Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons" here
Multi-Grammy award-winning couple, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. have announced their first studio album in over 30 years.
The co-founders of the legendary 60s group The 5th Dimension, who had ubiquitous hits including ‘Up, Up and Away’, ‘Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In’, and ‘Wedding Bell Blues’, turn their attention with their new album to further 60s luminaries.
‘Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons’ sees McCoo and Davis Jr. explore carefully chosen songs from throughout The Beatles’ co-writers’ songbooks both with the group and as solo artists, which have resonance to the duo in present day.
For instance, of the title track, they say:
‘As black people, who began performing over sixty years ago, we have witnessed countless struggles, lost lives, broken barriers, and victories. Why Blackbird? Why now? It is a reflection of the truth we are living today. When a blackbird leaves our mother’s nest, one day, it will not return. In 2021, mothers throughout our country live in the fear that our blackbirds may prematurely not be able to return to the nest of home, because of bigotry and violence.’
Recorded with producer Nic Mendoza, the album is infused with the couple’s original pop and soul sound, and also contains tracks such ‘Yesterday’, ‘Ticket To Ride’ and ‘Help!’
A track of particular resonance for the couple is ‘Silly Love Songs’, the Paul and Linda McCartney hit. ‘One special memory is that ‘Silly Love Songs’ was a hit the same year we released ‘You Don't Have To Be A Star’. We felt a little bit competitive, and were really happy that You Don't Have To Be A Star was number one in the same year.
We think we felt the connection because Paul had come from The Beatles, was married to Linda… and we were married, and had just left the original 5th Dimension the year before’.
Marilyn and Billy will celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary later this year. They have achieved 7 Grammy Awards, and earned 15 gold and 3 platinum records both as members of The 5th Dimension, and as a recording duo.
They are also credited with making TV history being the first African American couple to host their own television variety show, ‘The Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. Show’ in the 70s.
