Cory Wade (born May 6, 1936) – Disco Magic (1976)

The TK Records producer who helped create numerous disco hits co-wrote this funky instrumental, the Nassau funk group T-Connection's debut single.

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Cory Wade is a songwriter, producer, and former record company executive who produced over one hundred hit soul, funk, and disco records in the 1970s and 80s including the first million-selling 12” single.

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1974 Wade moved to Florida and established Trans America Productions, his own music production company. He began working closely with Henry Stone’s TK Records and its numerous subsidiary labels.

In 1975, a song Wade wrote titled “My Heart Just Won’t Let You Go” was recorded by the Waters siblings and became a funky jam on their debut LP Waters, released on Blue Note. Maxine Waters Willard and her sister Julia Waters Tillman are most well-known for later singing backing vocals on a little album Michael Jackson dropped in 1982 called Thriller.

Wade co-produced several albums for TK Records recording artists T-Connection, who were from Nassau, the Bahamas, starting with their debut LP Magic (1977). He and the group’s lead singer/keyboardist Theophilus Coakley co-wrote the album’s superb instrumental quasi-title track and advance single “Disco Magic,” released in late 1976. It went to #10 on disco charts, paving the way for the album’s second single “Do What You Wanna Do” to shoot to #1 while also reaching #15 R&B and #46 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1983, a stellar track Wade co-wrote with Ronald (aka Marvell) and Vaneese Thomas, “Am I Gonna Be The One,” was recorded by the boogie-funk trio Colors, on which Vaneese sang lead. Ronald and Vaneese were two of the vocal group’s members along with Foster “Skip” McPhee (and the children of Stax legend Rufus Thomas).

It was co-produced by Frank Abel and Norman Hedman, who also co-produced the epic “Colorful Dub / Break For Dayze” extended mix on the single’s B-side, along with additional co-production assistance by superstar DJ’s and remixers Shep Pettibone and Junior Vasquez. The single’s engineer was John Potoker, who worked at Sigma Sound Studios’ New York location and recorded many late 70s/early 80s dancefloor classics.

Happy Birthday, Cory Wade.

Further info:

“Cover Biography: Cory Wade,” New On The Charts, November, 1978.

#soul #funk #disco #TKRecords #Waters #TConnection #Colors #CoryWade