Henri Belolo, who was a co-founder of the Village People and co-wrote a number of hit songs, died at age 82.
Belolo died Saturday, with the death announced by Scorpio Music on Wednesday. No further details about the cause of death or location were provided.
The French producer was born in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1936. In his 20s, he moved to Paris where he began work in the music industry as a DJ and music producer. In 1973 he moved to the United States, partnering with fellow Moroccan Jacques Morali. He and Morali frequented the club scene during the 1970s and helped fuel the disco movement.
Despite not being gay like his colleague, Belolo saw an opportunity in the club scene and he and Morali assembled the six-person band Village People, who were known for their flamboyant and over-the-top costumes that included a construction worker, biker, cowboy, sailor, American Indian, and a police officer.
The group spun out hits with Belolo’s help, including memorable hits such as YMCA, In the Navy, and Macho Man. Belolo was approached by the Pentagon to use In the Navy as a recruiting jingle, and Belolo agreed to license the tune to the Navy in exchange for filming a music video. In 1979, the group filmed the video dancing aboard a Knox-class frigate in San Diego.
Lead singer of the group, Victor Willis, told Rolling Stone in a statement that a private funeral was already held in Paris but that there are plans for a public memorial service.
“I am devastated by the untimely death of Henri Belolo who was my former producer, mentor and co-creator of Village People,” Willis said. “Henri who actually died on August 3, 2019, leaves an impressive body of work that helped shape the disco genre, and as a record executive, he was par excellence.”
