Making the Band
In 1977, the Village People released their first self-titled album, but the whole team wasn’t on board just yet. Phil Hurtt was a producer and songwriter from Philadelphia, and he made vocal arrangements during these sessions and was asked to be the lead singer of the band. Hurtt told Morali he didn’t want the role.
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Even though Hurtt didn’t want the gig, he recommended using one of the background singers, Victor Willis, as the lead singer. Morali over-exaggerated the story and made it seem like his dream was to produce an album with Willis. As it turns out, it really just happened by circumstance.