04/08/2026
🇺🇸 David Cole (1962 – 1995) was a songwriter and record producer who died of AIDS in NYC. He was 32 years old.
David was best known as was one half of the dance-music duo C+C Music Factory, which he founded with Robert Clivilles.
David also produced hits for artists such as Mariah Carey and Aretha Franklin. He won a Grammy for the soundtrack for the film The Bodyguard starring Whitney Houston.
David Cole also assembled and produced Seduction, a female dance-pop, house and freestyle trio that included Michelle Visage.
In episode 163 of ‘RuPaul’s What’s the Tee w/ Michelle Visage’ podcast broadcast in August 2018, Michelle Visage recalled:
“David was amazing ... and he was you know ... Robert (Clivillés) and I were the closest .. as friends .. but David made me nervous. He had a presence about him that was very judgy and I never felt good enough to sing for David Cole. I remember in his last days, he used to tell me, to keep me in check I think ... it was his way ... he would say, “Bitch you are not Madonna! Don’t act like you are!“ Things like that. I then I remember ... I didn’t know he was leaving us anytime soon ... but they flew me out to do a video. It was a video for C+C Music Factory (Do you wanna get funky). He said, “Hey, come hang out!” So everything was done. We wrapped. Billy B. did the make up. You know we were all just getting ready to hang out and David Cole goes ... he looked me in the eye and goes, “Not only could you be the next Madonna, you’re better than Madonna.” And it was in that moment that ... it was for me ... and I was like “OMG, What’s making you say that?” I’m an extra in this video. They flew me out on their own dime ... out to LA, put me up in the Hotel Nikko ... and it was a big deal. I couldn’t understand why ... but I felt like they were part of my family. When he told me that, I felt in that moment, for one of the few times, that I was really talented. Because David Cole ... look you (RuPaul) have always believed in me, my mom and dad have ... David Cole was such a brilliant musician and operator in his brain and producer and vocal producer. My vocals were never best unless David were doing them. He had a way of getting something out of me.”
📍The AIDS Memorial would love to hear from those who knew David who can provide more details about his life.
