Rose Marie McCoy (April 19, 1922 – January 20, 2015) was a prolific American songwriter who had over 850 songs recorded by over 320 artists including: Elvis Presley, Ike and Tina Turner, Nat King Cole, Big Maybelle, Al Hibbler, Faith Hill, Bette Midler, Etta James, Gloria Lynne, Faith Hill, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, and many more. (See end of petition for a more complete list). 

However, she has yet to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Fiercely independent, as an African-American woman, McCoy broke barrier after barrier in the music business, especially in the fields of jazz, pop, rock n’ roll, country, and gospel.

A native of Arkansas, McCoy left for New York City in the early 1940s to pursue a signing career. Though she recorded throughout the years, she found success as a songwriter independently for over 50 years. She also co-wrote and co-published frequently.

For example, in the early 1950s she partnered with Charlie Singleton. Their first hit, "It Hurts Me to My Heart" was recorded by Faye Adams in 1954 and over their 6 year collaboration they wrote songs individually and as partners for top artists including: Elvis Presley "I Beg of you" and "Trying to Get to You;" Ruth Brown "Mambo Baby," and Nappy Brown's "Little by Little;" Nat King Cole "If I May" and "My Personal Possession"; Little Willie John "Letter from My Darling", and Aretha Franklin, Eddy Arnold, The Five Willows, Big Joe Turner, The Du Droppers, Little Esther, The Clovers, and many, many other top artists of the time.

After her partnership with Singleton, she continued independently to write and publish, turning down opportunities to work for major record labels including Motown, Stax, and Atlantic. In the 1960s she found success with Ike and Tina Turner--"It's Gonna Work Out Fine,"  and it became the Turners' first top 20 hit and their first Grammy nomination. 

She was also known for her mentorship of young songwriters and artists.

McCoy has been called the "one of most prolific American songwriters we've never heard of". Please help us correct this oversight and sign our petition to nominate Rose Marie McCoy to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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The following artists have recorded a Rose McCoy song:

Buddy Ace, Faye Adams, Adventurers, Afghan Whigs, Afrique, Keith Alexander, Annisteen Allen, Chad Allen & the Expressions, Ambers, Ernestine Anderson, Kip Anderson, Toni Arden, Susie Arioli, Eddie Arnold, Astronauts, Avenue B Boogie Band, Albert Ayler, Baby Dee, Baby Dolls, Bad Manners, Pearl Bailey, Lavern Baker, Hank Ballard, Artie Banks, Darrell Banks, J.J. Barnes, Jimmy Beasley, Jesse Belvin, Boyd Bennett & his Rockets, Jimmy Bennett, Brooke Benton, Beverly & Mike, Andy Bey,Big Maybelle, Billy & Lillie, Bobby Boyd, Jess Bolero, Vernel Bowden, Paul Brady, Linda Brannon, Beverly Brenner, Lillian Briggs, Elton Britt, Bobby Brookes, Dale Brooks, James Brown, J.T. Brown, Maxine Brown, Nappy Brown, Ruth Brown, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Solomon Burke, Hank C. Burnette, Burton Sisters, B.B. Butler, Jerry Butler, Cadets, Shirley Caesar, Johnny Carroll, Joey Castle, Chanteclairs, Charlie & Ray, Charlie & Rosie, Cho Bu Co, Savannah Churchill, DeDe Clark, Jeff Clay, Clovers, Maria Cole, Nat "King" Cole, Christine Collister, Lew Connetta, Billy Joe Conor, Ry Cooder, Cookies, Country Gentlemen, Country Road, Joanne Courcy, Coyboy Copas, Crash Craddock, Crew-Cuts, Beverly Crosby, Linda Cumbo, Nick Curran, Larry Darnell, Frankie Darrow, Emmit Davis, Joyce Davis, Margie Day, Joey Dee & the Starlighters, Gloria De Marco, Mary Del, Shirley Diamond, Varetta Dillard, Dixieaires, Dojo Cuts, Dolores, Carol Douglas, Arnold Dover, Dozier Boys, Drifters, Du Droppers, Doris Duke, Elaine Dunn, Eagles,  Billy Eckstine, Electric Ladies, Shirley Ellis, Enchanters, Joe Erkstine, Facts of Life, Tony Farrell, Sarianna Featherstone, Sauter Finnigan 0rchestra, Five Keys, Five Royales, Five Willows, Frankie Floyd, Flyers, D.D. Ford, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Four Bells, Four Coins, Four Knights, Four Preps, Aretha Franklin, Irma Franklin, Jane Froman, Roy Gaines, Don Gardner, Bonnie Gatling, Gaylords, Georgia Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Marty Gino, Katie Glassman & Snapshot, Bernice Gooden, Robert Gordon, Charlie Gracie, Helen Grayco, Buddy Greco, Do Greene, Clive Gregson, Carl Hall, Henry Hall, Ellerine Harding, Mark Harman, Harptones, Brenda Joe Harris, Ernie Harris, Kurt Harris, Harris Sisters Winonie Harris, Wilbert Harrison, Jesse Henderson, Al Hibbler, Faith Hill, Billy Holden, Craig Holland, Hollywood Flames, Honey-Tones, Linda Hopkins, Jamie Horton, Tommy Hunt, Ivory Joe Hunter, Inspirations, Dee Irwin, Chris Issak, Jacks, Chuck Jackson, Wanda Jackson, Eddy Jacobs, Etta James, Reid Jamison, Jaytones, Damita Jo, Little Willie John, Bill Johnson, Bubber Johnson, La Vera Johnson, Susan Johnson, Doc Jones, Jimmy Jones, Tamika Jones, Louis Jordan, J.J. Julian, Anne Kaye, Anna King, Earl King, Sleepy King, Eartha Kitt, Sonny Knight, Sleepy La Beef, Julius La Rosa, Herb Lance, Lancers, Rita Lane, Julie Lang, Annie Laurie, Laurie Sisters, Brenda Lee, Peggy Lee, Keri Leigh, Lemmy & Friends, Joy Leonard, Artie Lewis, Barbara Lewis, Diane Lewis, Pat Lewis, Bobby Long, Vera Longus, Lorenzo, Bonnie Lou, Naomi Loy, Cherri Lynn, Micki Lynn, Gloria Lynne, Marie "Queenie" Lyons, Jackie "Moms" Mabley, Betty Madigan, Cindy Malone, Manfred Mann, Gloria Mann, Rosalie Mann, Bob Manning, Tommy Mara, Myrna March, Bobby Marchan, Marian Sisters, Miki Marlo, Kenny Martin, Paul Martin, Sunny Martin, Matadors, Marvin & Johnny, Johnny Mathis, Charlee May, Zilla Mays, Liz McCall, Ken McDonald, Ruth McFadden, Clyde McFatter, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Liz McKenzie,  Betty McLaurin, Joe Medlin, Mae Mercer, Billy Mersey Band, Jerry Michaels, Bette Midler, Midnighters, Lenny Miles, Haley Mills, Mixtures, Monotones, Rudy Ray Moore, Prentice Moreland, Ella Mae Morse, Ricky Nelson, Vikki Nelson, Johnny Nocturne Band, Nomads, Dorothy Norwood, Nugguts, Brooks Odell, Roy Orbison & the Teen Kings, Kelly Owens Orchestra, Patti Page, Johnny Parker, Paris Sisters, Les Paul & Mary Ford, Johnny Payne, Persuasions, Esther Phillips (a.k.a. Little Esther), Phil Phillips, Platters, Elvis Presley, Lloyd Price, Pride Passion & Pain, Dolph Prince, P.J. Proby, Promises, Billy Pruitt, Arthur Prysock, Tito Puente, Rosemarie Rand, Ravens, Rav'ons, Johny Ray, Realistics, Red & Blue, Ursala Reed,Francine Reid, Irene Reid, Ray Reid, Henri Rene, Revelation, Debbie Reynolds, Larry Rice, Johnny Rivers, Roamers, Robert & Johnny, Sylvia Robinson, Pauline Rogers, Weldon Rogers, Tito Rodriquez, Linda Ronstadt, Rosemarie & Bo, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Jimmy & David Ruffin, Rumour, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rushing, Cathy Ryan, Jodie Sands, Tommy Sands,Peggy Saunders, Al Savage, Ronnie Savoy, Freddie Scott, Jimmy Scott, Ray Scott, Shirley Scott, Scotty & Bo Bo, Barry Seidel, Carol Selick, Joe Seneca, Phil Seymour, Del Shannon, Rick Sheppard, Shirelles, Shirley & Lee, Sandi Shore, Jean Shy, Sierras, Sight & Sound, Sillaways, Joe Simon, Hal Singer, Eugene Smith, George E. Smith, Ronnie Spector, Chris Spedding, Spencer Davis Group, Walter Spriggs, Spring, Bruce Springsteen, Shakin' Stevens, Straight Ahead Rhythm Band, Stray Cats, Steve Stackpole, Jo Stafford, Johnny Starr, Dakota Staton, Rudy Stewart, Cliffie Stone & His Hep Cats, Stylers, Gene Summers, Sugarmints, Sweet & Sassy, Swing Cats, Tabbys, James Taylor, Teenagers, Joe Tex, Irma Thomas, Thrillers, Thunderbirds, Tom & Jerry (a.k.a. Simon & Garfunkel), Little Tom, Toys, Anita Tucker, Hank Turgeon, Big Joe Turner, Ike & Tina Turner, Sammy Turner, Titus Turner, Twins, Lezli Valentine, Van Dykes, Sarah Vaughan, Bobby Vee, Eddie "Clean Head" Vinson, Violent Femmes, Dolly Wade, Dinah Washington, Gino Washington, Justine "Baby" Washington, Bernie Wayne, Lenny Welch, Jean Wells, Dottie West, Roland White, Zabethe Wilde, Rocky Wilkerson, Andre Williams, Joe Williams, Kenny Williams, Lee Williams & the Cymbals, 0tis Williams & His Charms, Scotty Williams, Verna Williams, Jackie Wilson, Steve Winwood, Charles Wright & the 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Ruby Wright, York Brothers...and the list keep growing!