Don Robey - Biography

Biography

Born Don D. Robey in Houston, Texas, Robey's entrepreneurial spirit developed while growing up around Houston's black business community, where he began as a professional gambler, then a taxicab business manager. He managed a nightclub in Los Angeles, California before returning to Houston, where he opened the Bronze Peacock Dinner Club in 1945. Soon he began to promote dances. The Peacock was soon featuring stars such as Ruth Brown, Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, and T-Bone Walker.

In 1947 he became manager for blues singer Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and two years later started Peacock Records, with Brown as his first artist. He found success both with Brown and with other R&B artists, the biggest success coming with Big Mama Thornton's #1 hit "Hound Dog". The label also recorded Little Richard at the start of his career.

In 1952, Robey merged his Peacock label with Duke Records of Memphis, and Duke-Peacock was born. Robey took over full ownership of the label the following year. Initially the company's biggest star was Johnny Ace, but after Ace's death the gap was filled by other artistes including Junior Parker, Bobby Bland, and Johnny Otis. He is credited with co-writing "Farther Up the Road" with Joe Medwich Veasey, which was initially a hit for Bobby "Blue" Bland in 1957, and later became a live staple for Eric Clapton.

Besides blues and R&B, Robey's label was responsible for issuing gospel music, with successful artistes such as the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, and the Swan Silvertones. Robey also started Back Beat, an R&B label that had hits with O. V. Wright and Roy Head. He sold his labels to ABC Dunhill Records in 1973.

Robey died of a heart attack in June 1975.