The Story of Rose Marie McCoy
Image from the cover of "Thought We Were Writing the Blues, But They Called It Rock 'n' Roll" Source.
Rose Marie McCoy was born on April 19, 1922 in Oneida, Arkansas. She remained there for the next 19 years of her life yet her longing to begin a serious singing career took her to New York City in 1942. After moving to New York, she accepted a job working in chinese hand laundry during the weekdays but on the weekends she would perform at nightclubs across the city. During this time, as McCoy anxiously awaited her big break as a performer, she began writing songs.
While waiting for recognition as a performer, McCoy’s foray into songwriting developed into a real passion as she discovered a natural affinity for crafting melodies. Her first song to be recorded, After All, was released in 1946 but when she received such a small amount of royalties, she decided to refocus on her singing career. Ten years after her arrival in New York, McCoy auditioned for Wheeler Records and put out two blues tunes she wrote. Her record launched her into the eyes of music publishers who sought after her not for her vocals but for her talent as a writer. At the time, the block of 1619 Broadway and the brill building, was a hub for songwriting. This building was a factory for chart topping hits with producers, songwriters, and publishers centralized there. On this block, McCoy teamed up with her partner, Charlie Singleton in a booth at a Beefsteak Charlies, and there they would eventually churn out some of the times most recognizable hits.
In the 1960s, the writer’s of the music world experience a cosmic shift. Stars such as the Beatles and Bob Dylan shook the music world with not just their talent as performers but their songwriting capabilities. When singer realized that fame could come from writing their own music, they were inspired to write for themselves. This left the songwriter behind and reduce the industry for externally written music.