Peter McCann

Peter James McCann (March 6, 1948 – January 26, 2023) was an American songwriter, musician, lecturer, and songwriters' activist. He was known for writing successful pop-rock and country songs, including his 1977 solo hit "Do You Wanna Make Love", and "Right Time of the Night" for Jennifer Warnes.

At Fairfield University, McCann founded folk-rock group the Repairs, for which he served as guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter. He moved to Los Angeles in 1971 to record with the Repairs under the Motown label, and then was signed to ABC Records as a staff writer. McCann moved to Nashville in 1987 and began a long career as a staff writer and occasional recording artist. McCann also spent upwards of 25 years lobbying for songwriters' rights in Washington, giving lectures on copyright law in several institutes of higher education across the United States.

During his career, McCann had been signed as a recording artist to Motown, 20th Century Fox, CBS Records and RCA Records. His songs have been recorded by Lynn Anderson, Paul Anka, Karen Carpenter, Shaun Cassidy, Crystal Gayle, Mickey Gilley, Lee Greenwood, Whitney Houston, Julio Iglesias, Jermaine Jackson, Michael Johnson, Nicolette Larson, Kathy Mattea, Reba McEntire, Michael McDonald, Anne Murray, Ricky Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, K.T. Oslin, Donny Osmond, Buck Owens, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, John Travolta, Bobby Vinton, Shelly West, among others.

Early life McCann was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on March 6, 1948. He was the son of Donal George McCann, the music minister, organist and choirmaster at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Stratford, Connecticut, and Amelia Teresa McCann (née Hennigan), a homemaker. McCann was of Irish, German, Eastern European, and Swedish descent. Donald, who held a master's degree in Gregorian Chant, taught at Fairfield Woods Middle School in Fairfield, Connecticut, and his eight children, all of whom were members of his St. James church choir, rehearsed weekly and sang in Sunday services, weddings, and funerals. Amelia was a pianist and a good singer who knew how to read sheet music, though she scarcely played in the house.

The McCanns were raised Roman Catholic and received a Catholic education from Sacred Heart Grammar School in Bridgeport, taught by the Sisters of Mercy. Peter went on to Notre Dame High School in Fairfield, taught by the Holy Cross Fathers, and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts in History at Fairfield University, a Jesuit-run institution, specializing in the history of colonial America, the Tudors, and the first five emperors of Rome.

In his freshman year at Fairfield University, McCann, a baritone, met fellow singers George Mathias, bass Emmett Kelly, and tenors Jim Higgins and Sebastian Fiori, all of whom joined the Glee club, with Jim taking the part sung by former member Michael McCann, Peter's older brother. At the time, it was rare for a freshman like Peter, attending Fairfield University on a scholarship, to make it into the Glee club as a freshman. The Glee club hosted several variety shows at which members alternated from barbershop quartet formation, the Bensonians, to a 12-man group, similar to the Yale Whiffenpoofs.

Nashville years In 1978 CBS, now Sony Music, purchased his contract from the Fox organization and began a fruitful, 20-year relation with him as a songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee.

Commendations In 1995 he won NSAI's President's Choice award for his work in copyright protection.

In May 1999, then Attorney General Janet Reno presented McCann with the Volunteerism Award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, for composing "Among the Missing" as an anthem for the Center's free use. Alongside co-producers George Massenburg and Gary Paczosa, he produced the video, arranged the strings, and co-produced the recording of the song, performed by Michael McDonald and Kathy Mattea.

In 1995, McCann released a Christmas album of his own compositions on RCA Records, of which one of the songs, "One Voice", received critical acclaim and a letter of commendation from Pope John Paul II.

In 2003, he won a special commendation from SESAC for his continuing efforts to strengthen the nation's copyright laws.

Discography Albums YearAlbumBillboard 200Record label 1977 Peter McCann 82 20th Century Records 1979 One on One — Columbia Records

Singles YearTitlePeak chartpositionsRecord LabelB-sideAlbum US USAC AUS 1977 "Do You Wanna Make Love" 5 22 11 20th CenturyRecords "Right Time of the Night" Peter McCann "Save Me Your Love" — — — "It's Easy" 1979 "Just One Woman" 122* — — ColumbiaRecords "Come by Here" One on One "Don't Take It out on Me" — — — "What's He Got" 1982 "Dream Lover" — — — "She's a Woman" Carnival of Life "Do It Over" — — — "She's a Woman" Carnival of Life Record World Singles Chart.

Notable charted singles written by Peter McCann Year ArtistTitlePeak chartpositions Album US USAC USCountry USR&B UK 1976 Stark & McBrien "If You Like the Music (Suicide and Vine)" — 17 — — — 1977 David Wills "Do You Wanna Make Love" — — 82 — — Jennifer Warnes "Right Time of the Night" 6 1 17 — 51 Jennifer Warnes 1979 Buck Owens "Do You Wanna Make Love" — — 80 — — 1980 Millie Jackson/Isaac Hayes "Do You Wanna Make Love" — — — 30 — Royal Rappin's 1985 Earl Thomas Conley "Nobody Falls Like a Fool" — — 1 — — Janie Fricke "She's Single Again" — — 2 — — Somebody Else's Fire 1987 Louise Mandrell "Do I Have to Say Goodbye" — — 28 — — Dreamin''' Pake McEntire

— — 46 — —

K. T. Oslin

— — 40 — —

Mickey Gilley

— — 23 — —

Baillie & the Boys

— — 18 — —