Nashville Hitmaker Peter McCann Dead at 74

Singer-songwriter Peter McCann — who scored a 1977 solo hit together with his track “Do You Wanna Make Love,” in addition to writing an extended string of traditional songs for different artists — has died. Music Row stories that McCann died on Jan. 26, 2023, on the age of 74.

Born on March 6, 1948, in Bridgeport, Conn., McCann launched his first band, the Repairs, whereas attending faculty at Fairfield College. They moved to Los Angeles to pursue a recording profession with Motown Information, and after that ended, McCann signed a deal as a employees songwriter with ABC.

That led to his first hit, “Proper Time of the Evening,” which Arista launched as Jennifer Warnes’ debut solo single in 1977. The track reached No. 6 on the mainstream Billboard Scorching 100 chart, No. 17 on the Nation chart and No. 1 in Straightforward Listening, and its success prompted twentieth Century Fox Information to signal him to a solo deal, releasing “Do You Wanna Make Love” that very same yr. McCann’s lone solo hit reached No. 5 within the Scorching 100 and No. 22 in Grownup Up to date.

He launched two solo albums —1977’s Peter McCann and One on One in 1979 — earlier than specializing in writing songs for different artists. McCann signed with Sony Music as a songwriter in 1978, and a transfer to Nashville proved fruitful, as he wrote a string of nation hits. Starting in 1985 with Earl Thomas Conley’s “No one Falls Like a Idiot,” his streak continued with Janie Fricke’s “She’s Single Once more,” and Okay.T. Oslin’s debut single, 1987’s “Wall of Tears,” was additionally a McCann composition.

Nation artists who’ve recorded his track embrace Lynn Anderson, Crystal Gayle, Lee Greenwood, Michael Johnson, Reba McEntire, Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius, Anne Murray, Nicolette Larson, Eddie Rabbitt, Kenny Rogers, Shelly West and extra. An extended listing of pop artists have additionally lower his work, together with Whitney Houston, who recorded “Take Good Care of My Coronary heart” for her 1985 debut album.

McCann was additionally a longtime advocate for songwriters’ proper who joined Nashville Songwriters Affiliation Worldwide and lobbied on Capitol Hill for copyright points for many years, in addition to a well-liked lecturer on faculty campuses and for musical organizations. He was a board member and, at one time, Vice President of NSAI, which awarded him its President’s Selection Award in 1995 for his work on copyright points.

Music Row stories that McCann died in his sleep at dwelling on Jan. 26. No reason behind dying has been launched. He’s survived by Jacalyn Sheridan, his spouse of 41 years, and the couple’s son, Colin McCann. A celebration of life is to be introduced. In accordance with Nashville’s Tennessean, his household are suggesting donations to the Salvation Military to honor his reminiscence.