Glenn Michael Hughes July 18 1950 March 4 2001 was an American singer who was the original Leatherman character in the disco group Village People from 1977 to 1996 He graduated in 1968 from Chaminade High School and then attended Manhattan College where he was initiated as a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity in 1969 He was interested in motorcycles and was working as a toll collector at the BrooklynBattery 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 groups 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 According to Jack Fritscher Jacques Morali drew his inspiration for the character from the gay BDSM leather bar and sex club the Mineshafts dress code Hughes frequented the club He was a bike fanatic in real life and kept his motorcycle parked inside his house 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 Hughes was named on People Magazines 1979 list of Most Beautiful People and appeared in the television special The Playboy Mansion with Hugh Hefner Hughes died on March 4 2001 at his Manhattan apartment from lung cancer aged 50 He was subsequently interred wearing his leatherman outfit at Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale New York Source Article Glenn Hughes American singer from Wikipedia in English licensed under CCBYSA 30