Marvin Yancy

Marvin Yancy was enjoying his biggest gospel record as Reverend Marvin Yancy with Heavy Load when he died suddenly. The pastor of the Fountain of Life church on Chicago's south side, Yancy was the son of a minister and born into a musically inclined family. His mother was a great singer. He studied at the Chicago Baptist Institute and the Mooney Baptist Institute of Theology. When gospel greats like James Cleveland and Jessy Dixon would come to Chicago, Yancy would accompany them on piano. Meeting Chuck Jackson at the turn of the '70s was the impetus to take Yancy into secular, commercial music. During an Operation Breadbasket (now PUSH) expo, Yancy was backing legendary gospel group The Caravans. After the show, Jackson approached Yancy about co-writing eight songs for Aretha Franklin. Nothing happened with the songs, but it did start the pair's collaboration. Having heard from a friend about Jerry Butler's Songwriters Workshop, Jackson invited Yancy to it. Financed by Chappell Music, the workshop offered Jackson and Yancy paid positions as songwriters, with the resulting songs published by Chappell. An unusual arrangement.

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