Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the death of music producer David Cole.
Alongside producer Robert Clivillés, Cole wrote, produced and remixed a stream of hits for artists including Mariah Carey, Martha Wash, Taylor Dayne, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and New Kids on the Block.
The duo first got started as part of the group 2 Puerto Ricans, a Black Man and a Dominican, scoring a hit with Do it Properly. They were also the brains behind the girl group Seduction which featured RuPaul’s Drag Race star Michelle Visage.
Later in their career they’d re-team with Visage when she sang lead vocals on the one off single from S.O.U.L System, a cover of Bill Wither’s classic Lovely Day.
The production duo’s most successful project was the band C+C Music Factory who scored massive hits with Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now), Things That Make You Go Hmmm, Just a Touch of Love, Here We go (Let’s Rock & Roll) and Do You Wanna Get Funky?
Clivillés + Cole worked closely with Mariah Carey on some of her early hits including Make It Happen and Emotions. The duo also produced a killer remix of Anytime You Need a Friend.
The producers also penned the uplifting gay anthem Pride: A Deeper Love. Originally released in 1991 under their own names of Clivillés + Cole the track featured vocalist Deborah Cooper. It was paired up as a double A side release with their cover of the U2 song Pride (In the Name of Love).
Aretha Franklin loved the song so much she has the duo produce her version of the tune in 1994 and they also provided some epic remixes for the soul queen – some lasting nearly 10 minutes.
Cole passed away of an AIDS related illness in 1995, but the music he created is still being played every day. Mariah Carey and Boys II Men dedicated their song One Sweet Day to his memory and all those we lost along the way.
