b. c.1925, New Jersey, USA. Signed to Wheeler Records by Leroy Kirkland in the early 50s, McCoy recorded with George Kelly’s band in 1954. An early composition of McCoy’s was ‘Gabbin’ Blues’, co-written with Kirkland and recorded in 1952 by Big Maybelle, with McCoy appearing as the singer’s patter partner. Big Maybelle also recorded McCoy’s ‘So Good To My Baby’, ‘Way Back Home’, the latter co-written with the singer, and ‘No More Trouble Out Of Me’, co-written with Charlie Singleton. The fruits of McCoy’s collaboration with Singleton included ‘Pitiful’ (recorded by Aretha Franklin), ‘That’s All Right, Honey’ (Peggy Lee), ‘Letter From My Darling’ (Little Willie John, Solomon Burke), ‘If I Had Any Sense’ (Louis Jordan, Ruth Brown, Otis Rush), ‘If I May’ (Nat ‘King’ Cole), and ‘Trying To Get To You’ (Keri Leigh, Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley). Among other McCoy songs Presley recorded are ‘Baby, What You Want Me To Do’, ‘That’s All Right’, ‘Blue Christmas’, ‘One Night’ and ‘I Beg Of You’. Another collaborator was Nappy Brown, who recorded several songs including ‘It’s Really You’, ‘Just A Little Love’ and ‘Pitter Patter’, the latter covered by Patti Page. McCoy also wrote with Billy Davis, Sylvia McKinney, Connie Ingram, Jeanne Lozier, Fred Mendelsohn, Lee Morris, Kelly Owens and Rudy Toombs. McCoy’s performing career ranged widely and with Albert Ayler she recorded her own ‘Everybody’s Movin’’ and ‘Free At Last!’. McCoy’s other songs, mostly in collaboration, include ‘Bad Loser’, ‘I Can’t Understand’, ‘Take Me With You, Baby’, ‘My Friend Mr Blues’, ‘Tell Me I’m Not Too Late’, ‘Three Long Years’ (all recorded by Jimmy Rushing), ‘Crinoline Skirt’, ‘You Should Have Told Me’ (Brook Benton), ‘Don’t Be Angry’ (the Crew-Cuts, Nick Curran, Bad Manners, the Cadets), ‘Ever Since My Baby’s Been Gone’, ‘If You Don’t Want Me’, ‘Love Contest’, ‘Mambo Baby’ (all by Ruth Brown), ‘Everybody Needs Somebody’, ‘I’ll Be Alright’, ‘I’ll Never Deceive You’, ‘If You Only Knew’, ‘Very Truly Yours’ (all by Jimmy Scott), ‘Got To See If I Can’t Get Mommy (To Come Back Home)’ (Jerry Butler), ‘A Heart Comes In Handy’ (Johnnie Ray), ‘Heart Full Of Hope’ (Ella Mae Morse), ‘House Party’ (Jordan), ‘I Can’t Shake It Loose’ (the Supremes), ‘I Think It’s Gonna Work Out Fine’ (Tina Turner, Linda Ronstadt), ‘I Wish I Wasn’t Me Tonight’ (Del Shannon), ‘One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show’ (Bette Midler), and ‘Two Teenagers’ (Simon And Garfunkel).