Real McCoy

The Real McCoy enjoyed widespread popularity in the mid-'90s, when their Euro-dance single "Another Night" cracked the Top 40 in multiple countries and became the best-selling single by a German group in U.S. history. Already popular in Germany, the group had gone through several lineups since its formation in 1989, with producer/rapper Olaf Jeglitza always remaining at the center of the project. It wasn't until 1994 that the Real McCoy found an international audience, however, aided in part by Ace of Base's success in America and producer Clive Davis' interest in repeating that feat with another European group. Before hitting American shores, the group shuffled its membership once again, this time settling on the photogenic trio of Olaf Jeglitza, Patricia Petersen, and Vanessa Mason. Noticeably absent from that lineup was Karin Kasar, who had sung lead on "Another Night," "Run Away," and the rest of the band's international debut.

With Petersen lip-syncing along to Kasar's vocals, the Real McCoy briefly dominated the pop and dance charts in America. "Another Night," "Run Away," and "Come and Get Your Love" were all hits, and the band's international debut album -- also titled Another Night -- went double-platinum as a result. Petersen left the lineup two years later and was replaced by Lisa Cork, who did her own singing on 1997's One More Time. The album wasn't nearly as popular as its predecessor, though, and the group split up before the decade came to a close. Olaj Jeglitza continued producing music during the 2000s and eventually began appearing once again under the name the Real McCoy. In 2006, Jeglitza joined the group Ich Troje to record the song, "Follow My Heart," which was Poland's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest that year. Two years later, Jeglitza inked a contract for the Real McCoy with Sony Music Germany. In 2009, a new Real McCoy line-up featuring Jeglitza began performing in Canada and Europe. ~ Andrew Leahey