Rose McCoy grew up on a farm in Arkansas, but at 19, she moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. While waiting for her big break, she discovered she had a natural talent for songwriting. At the time, the music world was centered around the Brill Building in New York, where songwriters and producers worked in a kind of creative hub. After work, many of them gathered at a restaurant nearby called Beefsteak Charlie’s, which Soul singer Maxine Brown described as a “music marketplace.”
In 1954, McCoy co-wrote a song called “Trying to Get to You” with Singleton. Originally recorded by a group called The Eagles, Elvis Presley heard their version in a Memphis record store and decided to record it for his debut album in 1955. McCoy remembered Elvis replicating the song exactly like The Eagles, saying they didn’t think much of him at the time because they thought he couldn’t sing, but they were still grateful. Presley’s album went on to spend 10 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts.
1955 was also a pivotal year for American music, with Presley becoming a star and DJ Alan Freed popularizing the term “rock ‘n’ roll.” While music shows and venues were often segregated, Maxine Brown recalled how more white teenagers started showing up to see black performers, enjoying the same music without caring about race. For them, it was all about the music, whether they called it rock ‘n’ roll or the blues.
McCoy’s big break came in 1961 with the song “I Think It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” which was recorded by Ike and Tina Turner and earned a Grammy nomination. By then, McCoy had become successful, owning a house, a green Cadillac, and even her own office in the Brill Building.
Despite offers to work as a staff songwriter for major labels like Motown and Stax, McCoy valued her independence and preferred to maintain control over her music. She continued living in the same house she bought in 1955, surrounded by old records, tapes, and memories of her career.
McCoy’s name may not be instantly recognizable, but she wrote and produced some of the biggest pop songs in the 1950s. In an industry dominated by white males, McCoy was able to make her mark through her pen, even if she couldn’t through her own voice. Her songs “After All” and “Gabbin’ Blues” never quite took off on the charts, but she was courted by music labels to write for other artists, including hit singles for Big Maybelle, Elvis Presley, and Big Joe Turner. So now when you hear Presley’s “Trying to Get You,” you’ll remember the name of the African American woman who wrote it.
Rose McCoy passed away at the age of 92 on January 20, 2015, at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois.
