Village People lead singer Victor Willis dies at 74 after battle with “short, aggressive illness”

for a man whose music defined celebration itself. From Broadway beginnings in Dallas to the glittering heights of disco fame, Victor Willis became the unmistakable voice of an era. As the uniformed cop or naval officer at the heart of Village People, he turned “Y.M.C.A.,” “Macho Man,” and “In the Navy” into anthems that outlived the dance floors they continue reading …