Ray Simpson (born The Bronx January 15, 1954) is the lead singer of the Village People. He has taken the role of the "Cop", replacing original lead singer, Victor Willis. Like his predecessor, Simpson is straight. He started doing some backup singing for Village People in its first years, which is why he was he was recruited (on very short notice) to join the group when Willis left. His most memorable recordings with the group are from the days of Village People film, Can't Stop the Music, a film which hastened the end of the group's heyday. His voice is not originally heard on any of the Village People hits, though it was later dubbed on several of the group's biggest hits.
Born and raised in the Bronx, he is a graduate of City College of New York, majoring in English and minoring in music.
Simpson additionally had a solo career and many years performing with his sister and brother-in-law, Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford. Prior to Village People, Simpson released a solo recording album entitled Tiger Love.
Read more about Ray Simpson: Personal Life
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“An original is a creation
motivated by desire.
Any reproduction of an original
is motivated by necessity ...
It is marvelous that we are
the only species that creates
gratuitous forms.
To create is divine, to reproduce
is human.”
—Man Ray (1890–1976)
“The treasures of Cathay were never found.
In this America, this wilderness
Where the axe echoes with a lonely sound,
The generations labor to possess
And grave by grave we civilize the ground.”
—Louis Simpson (b. 1923)