Glenn Michael Hughes

 Glenn Michael Hughes (July 18, 1950 – March 4, 2001)

Hughes was the original "Leatherman" character in the disco group Village People from 1977 to 1996. He was interested in motorcycles, and was working as a toll collector at the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel when he responded to an advertisement by composer Jacques Morali seeking "macho" singers and dancers. Hughes and other members of the band were given a crash course in the synchronized dance choreography that later typified the group's live performances. Hughes sported an extravagant horseshoe moustache and wore his trademark leather outfit on and off stage and became one of the iconic figures of the disco era. The group had a huge hit in 1978 with "Y.M.C.A.", which remains a dance floor favorite more than two decades after it climbed to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. They had other hits, such as "Macho Man," "In the Navy" and "Go West," among other songs. In 1996, Hughes retired from the group and launched a successful New York cabaret act until he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had been a heavy smoker since he was a teenager. He was replaced by Eric Anzalone; however, Hughes continued with management of the band. During his later years, he was known for storming the streets of New York City with his custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Glenn Hughes died on March 4, 2001, aged 50, at his Manhattan apartment from lung cancer. He was subsequently interred wearing his leatherman outfit at Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.