William DeVaughn facts for kids

William Edward DeVaughn Jr. was born on November 28, 1947. He is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is famous for his R&B and soul music. His biggest hit song was "Be Thankful for What You Got" in 1974. This song sold millions of copies!

William DeVaughn's Music Journey

Early Life and First Hit Song

Before becoming a famous singer, William DeVaughn worked for the government. He was a drafting technician. He also sang part-time. In 1972, he wrote a song called "A Cadillac Don't Come Easy". This song was later changed into "Be Thankful for What You Got".

He spent money to record the song. It was recorded with Omega Sound in Philadelphia. John Davis, a producer from Omega, helped make the song sound great. He was part of a studio group called MFSB. The song was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. Joe Tarsia, the studio owner, recorded and mixed the song.

The Team Behind the Music

Many talented musicians helped create "Be Thankful for What You Got". Guitarists Norman Harris and Bobby Eli played on the track. Earl Young played the drums. Vince Montana played the vibraphone. Larry Washington played percussion.

John Davis played the keyboards. Allan Felder helped get a backup singing group. This group included his sister's vocal group. Frank Fioravanti helped release the song. It came out on Roxbury Records. This record label was part of Chelsea Records.

The Success of "Be Thankful for What You Got"

The song "Be Thankful for What You Got" became a huge success. It sold almost two million copies in 1974. It reached number 1 on the US Billboard R&B chart. It also reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song was also popular in the UK. It reached number 31 in 1974. It charted again in 1980, reaching number 44. The RIAA gave it a gold disc award. This meant it had sold over 500,000 copies. The song's simple and positive message was very popular. It was even played on gospel radio stations. After this success, DeVaughn left his government job to focus on music.

Later Music and Career

William DeVaughn released an album after his big hit. Many songs on this album had a religious theme. His second single, "Blood Is Thicker than Water", was also successful. It reached number 10 on the R&B chart in 1974. It also reached number 43 on the pop chart. Another song, "Give the Little Man a Great Big Hand", had some success on the R&B chart.

Later, DeVaughn took a break from the music industry. He worked in a record store and again as a draftsman. In 1980, he released a new song called "Figures Can't Calculate". This song reached number 37 on the Billboard R&B chart. The album also included a new disco version of "Be Thankful for What You Got".

In 2004, DeVaughn released a new single called "I Came Back". This was on his own record label, Mighty Two Diamond Records. In 2014, two songs that had not been released before came out. These were "Staying Power" and "Love Ballad of the Year". They were part of a collection called Lost Soul Gems. In 2016, another unreleased song, "Love in Any Language", was added to this collection.

On May 12, 2017, a two-song mix was released. It included "What Does It Take (to Win Your Love for Me)" and "I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying".

William DeVaughn's Discography

Studio Albums

Singles