16 Facts About Don Robey

Don Deadric Robey was an American record label executive, songwriter, and record producer.

Don Robey was the first African American record mogul, 10 years prior to Berry Gordy's Motown label.

Many other label owners paid little for songs and controlled the publishing, but Don Robey was one of the few to disguise the real writers, making it nearly impossible to assess who wrote what on Duke, Peacock, Back Beat, and his other labels.

Don Robey was born in the Fifth Ward of Houston, Texas, United States, to a Jewish mother Gertrude and an African American father Zeb Don Robey, a chef.

Don Robey left school early, he claimed to pursue a gambling career.

Don Robey lived in Los Angeles, where he set up his first nightclub.

Don Robey became manager for blues singer Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown in 1947, setting up the Buffalo Booking Agency with Merritt and business manager Evelyn Johnson.

Two years later, after Brown had failed to find commercial success with his recordings on the Aladdin label, Don Robey established Peacock Records, with Brown as his first artist.

In 1952, Don Robey merged his Peacock label with Duke Records of Memphis, and Duke-Peacock was born.

Don Robey took over full ownership of the label the following year, and closed down the Bronze Peacock club to turn it into a rehearsal and recording studio.

Don Robey later acquired other labels including Sure Shot and Song Bird.

The performers on Don Robey's labels were often signed to exclusive booking and management contracts.

Don Robey claimed credit for writing Bland's "I Pity the Fool", which it is suggested was in fact written by Veasey, and "Turn On Your Love Light", which became popular with Van Morrison and his band Them in live sets, Bob Seger on Smokin' OP.

Don Robey would give them 25 or 50 bucks and they'd let him have their songs.

Don Robey sold his record labels to ABC Dunhill Records in 1973, while remaining as a consultant.

Don Robey died of a heart attack at St Luke's Hospital in Houston in June 1975.