Biography
The alias Deadric Malone belonged to Don Robey, a Houston-based label proprietor, songwriter, and producer whose contributions rank among those of the foremost early pop and R&B trailblazers. His Duke/Peacock collection of imprints assembled a formidable roster that encompassed Johnny Ace, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Big Mama Thornton, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, the Dixie Hummingbirds, O.V. Wright, Carl Carlton, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, Inez Andrews, Memphis Slim, Little Junior Parker, Joe Hinton, and additional artists. Robey secured publishing ownership of numerous compositions destined to achieve major commercial success for the performers on his roster. Although external writers created most of these works, any song he controlled received a co-writing credit under the Deadric Malone pseudonym, among them "Think," "Book of Love," "I Pity the Fool," "Trying to Make It Over," "Turn on Your Love Light," and numerous others.
Born November 1, 1903, in Houston, Texas, Robey developed his business instincts amid the city's prominent Black entrepreneurial circles. After leaving high school early, he pursued professional gambling before marrying, fathering a son, and launching a taxicab enterprise. Merging his musical interests with commercial acumen, he began promoting ballroom dances throughout the Houston region. In the late 1930s he relocated briefly to Los Angeles, where he operated the Harlem Grill nightclub; upon his return to Houston in the mid-1940s he opened the Bronze Peacock Dinner Club, featuring leading jazz acts.
Robey subsequently established a record store and, in 1947, took on management duties for blues singer and guitarist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. Following an unsatisfactory arrangement with Palladium Records in 1949, he commissioned research from Evelyn Johnson that led him to launch Peacock Records with Brown as its inaugural artist. The initial double-sided single yielded "Mary Is Fine," which reached number eight on the R&B chart, and "My Time Is Expensive," which peaked at number nine R&B, both in late 1949. Subsequent successes included Marie Adams's "I'm Gonna Play the Honky Tonks" (number three R&B, summer 1952), Floyd Dixon's "Sad Journey Blues" (number eight R&B, late 1950), and Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton's "Hound Dog," which held the number-one R&B position for seven weeks in early 1953. Elvis Presley's 1956 cover of "Hound Dog," certified triple platinum, remained at number one R&B for six weeks and at number one pop for eleven weeks.
In 1952 Robey combined Peacock with Dave Mattis's Duke Records of Memphis, Tennessee, creating Duke-Peacock; he assumed sole ownership the following year. Duke's early signings included Johnny Ace and Roscoe Gordon. Ace scored three number-one R&B hits: "My Song" topped the chart for nine weeks in fall 1952, "The Clock" for five weeks in summer 1953, and "Pledging My Love" for ten weeks. His remaining singles all reached the R&B Top Ten: "Cross My Heart" (number three), "Saving My Love for You" (number two), "Please Forgive Me" (number six), "Never Let Me Go" (number nine), and "Anymore," later featured on the soundtrack of the 1997 Samuel L. Jackson film Eve's Bayou (number seven). Ace's stature grew further after he suffered a fatal backstage shooting during a game of Russian roulette at Houston's City Auditorium and died the next day, December 25, 1954.
Little Junior Parker emerged as another early Duke-Peacock standout. A cousin of Al Green and former bandmate of Howlin' Wolf, the singer and harmonica player had first charted with "Feelin' Good" by Little Junior's Blue Flames on Sun Records (number five R&B, fall 1953). His initial Duke success came with "Next Time You See Me" (number seven R&B, spring 1957), followed by "Driving Wheel" (number five R&B), the double-sided "In the Dark" (number seven R&B) backed with "How Long Can This Go On," and "Annie Get Your Yo Yo" (number six R&B).
Duke-Peacock's most consistent chart performer overall was Bobby "Blue" Bland, who placed 45 singles on the R&B charts and 33 on the pop charts. A former Beale Streeters bandmate of Ace, Gordon, and Parker, Bland had already joined Duke prior to the merger; his first hit, "Farther Up the Road," reached number one R&B in fall 1957. Additional Duke-Peacock entries included Brook Benton's "I'll Take Care of You" (number two R&B, late 1959), "I Pity the Fool" (number one R&B, early 1961), "Don't Cry No More" (number two R&B, summer 1961), "Turn on Your Love Light" (number two R&B, late 1961), "Stormy Monday Blues" (number five R&B, fall 1962), the double-sided "That's the Way Love Is" (number one R&B) backed with "Call On Me" (number six R&B, early 1963), and "These Hands (Small but Mighty)" (number four R&B, fall 1965), among others. In the 1980s Bland moved to Malaco, issuing several albums including the 1998 release Memphis Monday Morning.
Behind the hits stood key staff members: promotion and sales representatives Dave Clark and Irving Marcus, along with producers and arrangers Joe Scott, Johnny Otis, and Bill Harvey. Evelyn Johnson directed Robey's Buffalo Booking Agency. Both the club and the label operated from 2612 Erastus St.
Although Robey released blues and R&B, he issued a greater volume of gospel music on Peacock. The label's gospel roster proved exceptionally deep and enduring, encompassing the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Sensational Nightingales, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, Rev. Cleophus Robinson, Christland Singers (featuring original Soul Stirrers lead singer R.H. Harris), the O'Neal Twins, the Highway QCs, Rev. W. Leo Daniels, Rev. Julius Cheeks, the Swan Silvertones, the Harmonizing Four, Willie Banks and the Messengers, Mildred Clark, Tessie Hill, Charles Fold and the Gospel Messengers, the Sunset Travelers, and others. The Dixie Hummingbirds, still active into the 1990s, reached the R&B charts with "Loves Me Like a Rock"; that same year they backed Paul Simon on his gold-certified number-two pop version of the song in late summer 1973. Robey also issued gospel product on his Song Bird imprint, established in late 1963.
In 1957 Robey founded the R&B-oriented Back Beat label, which scored hits with O.V. Wright ("You Gonna Make Me Cry," number six R&B, summer 1965; "Eight Men, Four Women," number four R&B, spring 1967), Joe Hinton ("You Know It Ain't Right," summer 1963; "Funny," summer 1964; "I Want a Little Girl," early 1965), and Texas rock-country singer and guitarist Roy Head and the Traits ("Treat Her Right," number two R&B and number two pop for two weeks, fall 1965). Back Beat also signed the rock group the Rob Roys, whose membership included future composer and producer Charles Fox ("Happy Days").
Carl Carlton obtained his initial major opportunity through Robey. Recording first for Detroit's Lando Records in his teens as Little Carl Carlton in 1964, Carlton saw the label pick up his single "Competition Ain't Nothin'" for Back Beat release; his two largest later successes were the 1981 million-selling "She's a Bad Mama Jama" (number two R&B for eight weeks) and "Everlasting Love" (number 11 R&B, number six pop, fall 1974). Additional 1980s hits included a cover of the Four Tops' "Baby I Need Your Loving" and "Private Property."
Industry observers such as Gus Redmond and Rick Roberts have recounted Robey's formidable reputation, yet his achievement stands: he became one of the earliest Black entrepreneurs to operate a highly profitable U.S. record label, predating Berry Gordy's Motown venture by more than a decade. Although the music business demanded toughness, Robey demonstrated he could match the resolve of any contemporary.
On May 23, 1973, Robey sold Duke-Peacock to ABC-Dunhill Records and remained as a consultant while the new owner reissued the catalog. In the 1980s MCA Records acquired the ABC Records holdings, thereby assuming control of Robey's legacy.
Don Robey died in his native Houston on June 16, 1975.
Born November 1, 1903, in Houston, Texas, Robey developed his business instincts amid the city's prominent Black entrepreneurial circles. After leaving high school early, he pursued professional gambling before marrying, fathering a son, and launching a taxicab enterprise. Merging his musical interests with commercial acumen, he began promoting ballroom dances throughout the Houston region. In the late 1930s he relocated briefly to Los Angeles, where he operated the Harlem Grill nightclub; upon his return to Houston in the mid-1940s he opened the Bronze Peacock Dinner Club, featuring leading jazz acts.
Robey subsequently established a record store and, in 1947, took on management duties for blues singer and guitarist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. Following an unsatisfactory arrangement with Palladium Records in 1949, he commissioned research from Evelyn Johnson that led him to launch Peacock Records with Brown as its inaugural artist. The initial double-sided single yielded "Mary Is Fine," which reached number eight on the R&B chart, and "My Time Is Expensive," which peaked at number nine R&B, both in late 1949. Subsequent successes included Marie Adams's "I'm Gonna Play the Honky Tonks" (number three R&B, summer 1952), Floyd Dixon's "Sad Journey Blues" (number eight R&B, late 1950), and Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton's "Hound Dog," which held the number-one R&B position for seven weeks in early 1953. Elvis Presley's 1956 cover of "Hound Dog," certified triple platinum, remained at number one R&B for six weeks and at number one pop for eleven weeks.
In 1952 Robey combined Peacock with Dave Mattis's Duke Records of Memphis, Tennessee, creating Duke-Peacock; he assumed sole ownership the following year. Duke's early signings included Johnny Ace and Roscoe Gordon. Ace scored three number-one R&B hits: "My Song" topped the chart for nine weeks in fall 1952, "The Clock" for five weeks in summer 1953, and "Pledging My Love" for ten weeks. His remaining singles all reached the R&B Top Ten: "Cross My Heart" (number three), "Saving My Love for You" (number two), "Please Forgive Me" (number six), "Never Let Me Go" (number nine), and "Anymore," later featured on the soundtrack of the 1997 Samuel L. Jackson film Eve's Bayou (number seven). Ace's stature grew further after he suffered a fatal backstage shooting during a game of Russian roulette at Houston's City Auditorium and died the next day, December 25, 1954.
Little Junior Parker emerged as another early Duke-Peacock standout. A cousin of Al Green and former bandmate of Howlin' Wolf, the singer and harmonica player had first charted with "Feelin' Good" by Little Junior's Blue Flames on Sun Records (number five R&B, fall 1953). His initial Duke success came with "Next Time You See Me" (number seven R&B, spring 1957), followed by "Driving Wheel" (number five R&B), the double-sided "In the Dark" (number seven R&B) backed with "How Long Can This Go On," and "Annie Get Your Yo Yo" (number six R&B).
Duke-Peacock's most consistent chart performer overall was Bobby "Blue" Bland, who placed 45 singles on the R&B charts and 33 on the pop charts. A former Beale Streeters bandmate of Ace, Gordon, and Parker, Bland had already joined Duke prior to the merger; his first hit, "Farther Up the Road," reached number one R&B in fall 1957. Additional Duke-Peacock entries included Brook Benton's "I'll Take Care of You" (number two R&B, late 1959), "I Pity the Fool" (number one R&B, early 1961), "Don't Cry No More" (number two R&B, summer 1961), "Turn on Your Love Light" (number two R&B, late 1961), "Stormy Monday Blues" (number five R&B, fall 1962), the double-sided "That's the Way Love Is" (number one R&B) backed with "Call On Me" (number six R&B, early 1963), and "These Hands (Small but Mighty)" (number four R&B, fall 1965), among others. In the 1980s Bland moved to Malaco, issuing several albums including the 1998 release Memphis Monday Morning.
Behind the hits stood key staff members: promotion and sales representatives Dave Clark and Irving Marcus, along with producers and arrangers Joe Scott, Johnny Otis, and Bill Harvey. Evelyn Johnson directed Robey's Buffalo Booking Agency. Both the club and the label operated from 2612 Erastus St.
Although Robey released blues and R&B, he issued a greater volume of gospel music on Peacock. The label's gospel roster proved exceptionally deep and enduring, encompassing the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Sensational Nightingales, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, Rev. Cleophus Robinson, Christland Singers (featuring original Soul Stirrers lead singer R.H. Harris), the O'Neal Twins, the Highway QCs, Rev. W. Leo Daniels, Rev. Julius Cheeks, the Swan Silvertones, the Harmonizing Four, Willie Banks and the Messengers, Mildred Clark, Tessie Hill, Charles Fold and the Gospel Messengers, the Sunset Travelers, and others. The Dixie Hummingbirds, still active into the 1990s, reached the R&B charts with "Loves Me Like a Rock"; that same year they backed Paul Simon on his gold-certified number-two pop version of the song in late summer 1973. Robey also issued gospel product on his Song Bird imprint, established in late 1963.
In 1957 Robey founded the R&B-oriented Back Beat label, which scored hits with O.V. Wright ("You Gonna Make Me Cry," number six R&B, summer 1965; "Eight Men, Four Women," number four R&B, spring 1967), Joe Hinton ("You Know It Ain't Right," summer 1963; "Funny," summer 1964; "I Want a Little Girl," early 1965), and Texas rock-country singer and guitarist Roy Head and the Traits ("Treat Her Right," number two R&B and number two pop for two weeks, fall 1965). Back Beat also signed the rock group the Rob Roys, whose membership included future composer and producer Charles Fox ("Happy Days").
Carl Carlton obtained his initial major opportunity through Robey. Recording first for Detroit's Lando Records in his teens as Little Carl Carlton in 1964, Carlton saw the label pick up his single "Competition Ain't Nothin'" for Back Beat release; his two largest later successes were the 1981 million-selling "She's a Bad Mama Jama" (number two R&B for eight weeks) and "Everlasting Love" (number 11 R&B, number six pop, fall 1974). Additional 1980s hits included a cover of the Four Tops' "Baby I Need Your Loving" and "Private Property."
Industry observers such as Gus Redmond and Rick Roberts have recounted Robey's formidable reputation, yet his achievement stands: he became one of the earliest Black entrepreneurs to operate a highly profitable U.S. record label, predating Berry Gordy's Motown venture by more than a decade. Although the music business demanded toughness, Robey demonstrated he could match the resolve of any contemporary.
On May 23, 1973, Robey sold Duke-Peacock to ABC-Dunhill Records and remained as a consultant while the new owner reissued the catalog. In the 1980s MCA Records acquired the ABC Records holdings, thereby assuming control of Robey's legacy.
Don Robey died in his native Houston on June 16, 1975.