David Cole

David Byron Cole (June 3, 1962 – January 24, 1995) was an American record producer. He was one half of the dance music duo C+C Music Factory, which he founded with his musical partner Robert Clivillés.

Clivillés and Cole also produced various hits for other artists such as Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Deborah Cooper, Whitney Houston, and many others. After Cole's death in 1995, Robert Clivillés continued to keep C+C Music Factory going through his own production work.

Biography Career Cole was a keyboardist in a Tennessee church choir, and in the 1980s, he performed at the New York City nightclub Better Days. Robert Clivillés was a resident DJ there, and the two became friends. and they produced the short-lived duo the Brat Pack. Cole also released the solo single "You Take My Breath Away" in 1988. Also in 1989, Clivillés and Cole released a single under the moniker the Crew, titled "Get Dumb! (Free Your Body)", featuring later C+C Music Factory rapper Freedom Williams.

Copyright lawsuits 1990, Clivillés and Cole were sued for copyright infringement by Boyd Jarvis, who claimed that they illegally sampled portions of his song "The Music Got Me" in their track "Get Dumb! (Free Your Body)", for which he demanded $15 million in royalties.

Four years later, Kevin McCord filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Mariah Carey, Cole, Clivillés, and Columbia Records, for allegedly using parts of his song "I Want to Thank You" in the track "Make It Happen" without his permission. Although the allegations were proven false, McCord eventually accepted a settlement offer of about US$500,000.

Death Cole died on January 24, 1995, after a long illness. The official cause was given as complications from spinal meningitis, though some members of the music community speculated that he died of complications from AIDS; no proof exists of this.

Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men wrote the 1995 song "One Sweet Day" in Cole's memory.

Discography Solo "You Take My Breath Away" (single) (1988)

with 2 Puerto Ricans, a Blackman and a Dominican "Do It Properly" (single) (1987) "Scandalous" (single) (1989)

with the 28th Street Crew I Need a Rhythm (1989) "O" (1994)

with the Crew "Get Dumb! (Free Your Body) (feat. Freedom Williams)" (single) (1990)

with C+C Music Factory Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US US R&B AUS AUT NL NZ SWE SWI UK 1990 Gonna Make You Sweat First studio album Release date: December 13, 1990 Label: Columbia 2 11 7 26 59 3 30 13 8 RIAA: 5× Platinum BPI: Gold MC: 4× Platinum 1994 Anything Goes! Second studio album Release date: August 9, 1994 Label: Columbia 106 39 36 — 63 25 — 46 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Other releases Greatest Remixes Vol. 1 (as Clivillés + Cole) (1992)