Davis, Billy

▪ 2005

      American songwriter and advertising executive (b. July 11, 1932, Detroit, Mich.—d. Sept. 2, 2004, New Rochelle, N.Y.), collaborated with Gwen Gordy and her brother Berry Gordy, Jr., in the 1950s on Jackie Wilson's hits “Reet Petite” and “Lonely Teardrops.” In 1958 he cofounded Anna Records, which later evolved into Motown Records. In 1961 Davis moved to Chess Records, where he produced the 1965 hit “Rescue Me.” He joined the advertising agency McCann Erickson in 1968 and wrote the hugely popular song “I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing,” which was based on his jingle featured in a Coca-Cola advertisement.

* * *