Some love songs age better than others. When the artists singing them have spent nearly six decades together, the lyrics carry a weight no studio session can fake.
Just The Two Of Us – Single Cover
Marilyn & Billy
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After 57 years of marriage, the legendary “First Couple of Pop and Soul” celebrates enduring love with a heartfelt tribute to their friend, Bill Withers.
The new recording from seven-time GRAMMY winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. dropped today, October 9, 2026, and it arrives ahead of a larger tribute project. The full collection, “Who Is He And What Is He To You?” — an all-star album supporting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund — lands November 27 for Record Store Day Black Friday. Los Angeles-based representatives announced the release via EINPresswire.com.
Legendary partnerships tend to be measured in hit records or chart positions. For McCoo and Davis, the metric is something else entirely: more than half a century together, both on stage and at home. Their bond has survived world tours, music history milestones, and the kind of scrutiny that comes with being called the “First Couple of Pop and Soul.”
LISTEN NOW: “Just the Two of Us” — Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
AVAILABLE NOW ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS
https://ffm.to/sweetrelieftwoofus.ODL!sw
Their latest interpretation of “Just the Two of Us” adds a personal layer to a song already steeped in meaning. The original was made famous by their late friend Bill Withers, and the couple’s version serves as both tribute and autobiography. For them, the track isn’t just about romance — it’s a document of their shared history.
Most performers approach this classic as a statement about commitment and partnership. McCoo and Davis live it. Their performance retains the unmistakable chemistry that has defined their career — the kind of connection that can’t be manufactured in a studio session.
The production team behind the track includes Nic Mendoza, Tim Sonnefeld, and Sheldon Gomberg. Natalie Hanna Mendoza contributes backing vocals, and the recording features the late James Gadson, who spent years as Bill Withers’ drummer.
“After more than 57 years of marriage, we know a little something about what it means to build a life together, so ‘Just the Two of Us’ feels especially close to our hearts. Bill had such a wonderful way of putting life’s greatest truths into the simplest, most beautiful words. We were fortunate to know him, to share the stage with him, and to call him our friend. Recording this song is our way of celebrating not only his extraordinary gift to music, but the love and joy he brought into so many lives. And knowing that it will help other musicians through Sweet Relief makes it all the more special,” said McCoo and Davis.
The single appears on “Who Is He And What Is He To You? A Sweet Relief Tribute to Bill Withers,” a 20-track collection produced by GRAMMY winner Sheldon Gomberg. The album releases November 27, 2026, as an exclusive vinyl pressing for Record Store Day Black Friday. Proceeds benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a nonprofit that assists musicians and industry professionals dealing with medical challenges, disabilities, and other hardships.
For McCoo and Davis, the charitable angle resonates deeply. Their careers have been shaped by countless collaborators — musicians, songwriters, producers, and performers — and the project offers a way to support that community while honoring a friend whose work continues to inspire.
“Just the Two of Us” is streaming now across all major platforms. The tribute album follows on November 27, 2026, via exclusive vinyl for Record Store Day Black Friday.
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. are exclusively represented by Carrberry Companies.
ABOUT MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS JR.
Seven-time GRAMMY Award winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. are among the most celebrated partnerships in American entertainment. As founding members of The Original 5th Dimension, they helped define a generation with timeless hits including “Up, Up and Away” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.” Their success as a duo produced the No. 1 hit “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show).” Their most recent album, Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons, returned the duo to the Billboard Charts after four decades, while recent screen appearances include the Academy Award-winning documentary Summer of Soul and The CW’s The Waltons’ Homecoming and A Waltons Thanksgiving, produced by Emmy winner Sam Haskell of Magnolia Hill Productions at Warner Bros. Married since 1969, McCoo and Davis continue to inspire audiences through their extraordinary musical legacy, enduring love, and commitment to artistic excellence.
www.mccoodavis.com
ABOUT SWEET RELIEF MUSICIANS FUND
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to career musicians and music industry professionals facing physical or mental health challenges, disability, and age-related difficulties. Through its charitable initiatives and artist partnerships, Sweet Relief helps support the people whose talents enrich the lives of music lovers everywhere. For additional information or to make a contribution, please visit www.sweetrelief.org.
STREAM THE SINGLE
https://ffm.to/sweetrelieftwoofus.ODL!sw
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Why it matters: This release pairs a beloved standard with a charitable cause, showing how legacy artists can repurpose their cultural capital for community benefit. It also demonstrates that the tribute album format remains viable when anchored by performers with genuine personal connections to the source material.
