15 Facts About Rosco Gordon

Rosco N Gordon III, sometimes billed as Roscoe Gordon, was an American blues singer, pianist, and songwriter.

Rosco Gordon played piano in a style known as the "Rosco rhythm," with the emphasis on the off-beat.

Rosco Gordon learned to play piano from his sister who took lessons.

Around this time, Rosco Gordon was scouted by Ike Turner, talent scout for the Bihari brothers, to record for Modern Records.

Rosco Gordon recorded a version for the Biharis brothers at RPM, released in January 1952.

For years, Rosco Gordon did not receive royalties for his songs.

Rosco Gordon had a successful record with "No More Doggin'" which was released by RPM in 1952.

Between 1952 and 1959, Rosco Gordon released numerous singles on Duke, Sun, Flip, and Vee-Jay Records.

Gordon didn't receive royalties from the millions of copies sold in cover versions, because producer Ralph Bass at King Records stole the song from a demo Rosco sent and had it copyrighted before him.

In 1962, Rosco Gordon quit the music industry and moved to Queens, New York with his new wife, where he purchased a partnership in a laundry business after winning a poker game with a pair of deuces.

In 1969, Rosco Gordon formed his own label, Bab-Roc, operated from his home, but he did not perform again until 1981.

In 2000, Rosco Gordon teamed up with blues guitarist Duke Robillard to release the album Memphis Tennessee.

Six weeks after filming finished, Rosco Gordon died at the age of 74 from a heart attack at his apartment in Rego Park, Queens on July 11,2002.

Rosco Gordon was survived by three daughters, Victoria, Deborah, and Ruby; three sons, Marrc, Rosco III, and Keith; a sister, Ella Gordon Jefferson; and 10 grandchildren.

Rosco Gordon was interred in the Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey.