Dobie gray net worth at death

Dobie Gray

American singer and songwriter (–)

Musical artist

Dobie Gray (born Lawrence Darrow Brown; July 26, &#; December 6, ) was an American singer and songwriter. Gray's music spanned multiple genres, including soul, country, pop, and musical theater.

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    • His hit songs included "The 'In' Crowd" in and "Drift Away" (a cover of a song written by Mentor Williams). "Drift Away" was one of the biggest hits of , has sold over one million copies, and remains a staple of radio airplay.[1]

    Dobie Gray was a member of the cast of "Hair" at the Aquarius Theater in Hollywood, CA from to

    Background

    Gray was born in Simonton, Texas.[2][3] His birth name was most likely Lawrence Darrow Brown,[3][4] listed in Fort Bend County birth records as being born in to Jane and Jethro C.

    Brown. Other sources suggest he may have been born Leonard Victor Ainsworth,[1] a name he used on some early recordings.

    His family sharecropped. He discovered gospel music through his grandfather, a Baptist minister.[2]

    Career

    In the early s Gray moved to Los Angeles, intending to pursue an acting career while also singing to make money.

    He recorded for several local labels under the names Leonard Ainsworth, Larry Curtis, and Larry Dennis, before Sonny Bono directed him toward the small independent Stripe Records. They suggested that he record under the name "Dobie Gray", an allusion to the then-popular sitcomThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.[3]

    His first taste of success came in when his seventh single "Look At Me", on the Cor-Dak label and recorded with bassistCarol Kaye,[5] reached No.

    91 on the Billboard Hot [4][6]

    However, his first album Look! failed to sell.[5] Greater success came in early when his original recording of "The 'In' Crowd" (recorded later that year as an instrumental by Ramsey Lewis and also covered in by Petula Clark) reached No.

    Written by Billy Page and arranged by his brother Gene[7] and produced by Fred Darian,[4][8] Gray's record reached No. 11 on the US R&B chart and No. 25 in the UK. The follow-up, "See You at the Go-Go", recorded with such top session musicians as Kaye, Hal Blaine, and Larry Knechtel, also reached the Hot , and he issued an album, Dobie Gray Sings for 'In' Crowders That Go 'Go Go,' which featured some self-penned songs.[5]

    Gray continued to record, albeit with little success, for small labels such as Charger and White Whale, as well as contributing to movie soundtracks.[6] He also spent several years working as an actor, including two and a half years in the Los Angeles production of Hair.[1][3]

    In , while working there, he joined the band Pollution as singer and percussionist.

    They were managed by actor Max Baer Jr. (best known as "Jethro" in The Beverly Hillbillies) and released two albums of soul-inspired psychedelic rock, Pollution I and Pollution II.[5][9] The band included singer Tata Vega and guitarist/singer James Quill Smith. He also worked at A&M Records on demo recordings with songwriter Paul Williams.[3]

    In , he signed a recording contract with Decca Records (shortly before it became part of MCA) to make an album with producer Mentor Williams—Paul's brother—in Nashville.

    Among the songs they recorded at the Quadrafonic Sound Studios, co-owned by session musicians Norbert Putnam and David Briggs, was Mentor Williams' "Drift Away", featuring a guitar riff by Reggie Young.[3][10] Released as a single, the song rose to No. 5 on the US pop chart and remains Dobie Gray's signature song.[1] It placed at No.

    17 in the Billboard Year-End Hot singles of , sold over 1 million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on July 5, [11] The follow-up, a version of Tom Jans' much-covered song "Loving Arms", hit No. Gray also released three albums with MCA, Drift Away, Loving Arms, and Hey, Dixie, but later stated that MCA were unsure of how to market the albums -- "They didn't know where to place a black guy in country music."[3]

    In the mids, he moved permanently to Nashville and signed with Capricorn Records, writing songs in collaboration with Troy Seals.[1] His last solo hit singles were "If Love Must Go", No.

    78 in , and "You Can Do It", No. 37 in [4] He increasingly concentrated on songwriting, writing songs for a variety of artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, Johnny Mathis, Charley Pride, and Don Williams.[3][6] He also toured in Europe, Australia and Africa in the s.

    He performed in South Africa only after persuading the apartheid authorities to allow him to play to integrated audiences, becoming the first artist to do so.[1] His popularity in South Africa continued through numerous subsequent concert tours.[2][3]

    In , Dobie Gray was included on a Word Records/Myrrh Contemporary Christian Music showcase called Premier Performance.

    Dobie was featured on two selections: "Everything To Me" and Walter Carter's "Last Train to Glory".[12]

    Dobie Gray re-emerged as a recording artist for Capitol Records in the mids, recording with producer Harold Shedd.

    Dobie gray songs The legendary Norwegian runner became the face of the New York City Marathon , winning the race nine times. Dobie Gray. The Book of Golden Discs 2nd ed. See also [ edit ].

    He placed two singles on the US country chart in –87, including "That's One to Grow On" which peaked at No. [1][13] His country albums included From Where I Stand in , and he made several appearances at Charlie Daniels' popular Volunteer Jam concerts.[6] He also sang on a number of TV and radio jingles.[3] Gray sang the song "Paradise Road", which appeared in the film Blind Justice, starring Christopher Cazenove, Patrick Shai, Oliver Reed and Edita Brychta.[14][15]

    In , he released the album Diamond Cuts, including both new songs and re-recordings of older material.[1]

    In , Wigan Casino DJ Kev Roberts, compiled The Northern Soul Top , which was based on a survey of Northern soul fans.[16] Gray's "Out on the Floor", a recording which would become a British hit in , peaking at No.

    [17]

    "Drift Away" became a hit again in , when he covered the song as a duet with Uncle Kracker on the latter's No Stranger to Shame album. The re-recording peaked at No. 9 one week to the day after Gray's 63rd birthday and placed at No. 19 in the Billboard Year-End Hot singles of as well as logging a record-setting 28 weeks atop the Adult Contemporary chart in –[citation needed]

    Death

    Gray died on December 6, , of complications from cancer surgery in Nashville, Tennessee, aged [18] His remains were buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park And Mausoleum in Nashville.

    Upon his passing, he bequeathed % of his musical assets and royalties in trust to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Tennessee School for the Blind.[19]

    Discography

    Albums

    Year Album Chart positions Label
    US
    [20]    		US R&B
    [20]    		AUS
    [21]
    Look— — — Stripe
    Dobie Gray Sings for "In" Crowders That Go "Go-Go"— — — Charger
    Pollution(as lead singer)— — — Prophecy/Atlantic
    Pollution II(as lead singer)— — —
    Drift Away64 — 63 Decca/MCA
    Loving Arms — — MCA
    Hey Dixie— — 94
    New Ray of Sunshine— — — Capricorn
    Let Go— — —
    The Best of Dobie Gray— — — Gallo
    Dobie Gray & Mary Wells— — — Gusto Inc.

    Mellow Man— — — Capricorn
    Midnight Diamond 72 89 Infinity
    Dobie Gray— — —
    Welcome Home— — — Equity/Robox
    Premiere Performance— — — Myrrh
    From Where I Stand— — — Capitol/EMI
    Love's Talkin'— — —
    Dobie Gray: His Very Best— — — Razor & Tie
    Diamond Cuts— — — Dobie Gray Prods.

    Soul Days— — — CDMemphis
    Dobie Gray: The Ultimate— — — Universal Hip-O
    Songs of the Season— — — Dobie Gray Prods.
    Dobie Gray: A Decade of Dobie (–)— — — UMG/Select-O-Hits
    "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

    Source:[22]

    Chart singles

    Featured singles

    Music videos

    Year Video Director
    "One Big Family" (Heart of Nashville)Steve Von Hagel

    See also

    References

    1. ^ abcdefghHuey, Steve.

      "Dobie Gray Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved March 18,

    2. ^ abc"Dobie Gray biodata". Dobie Gray Website. Retrieved March 18,
    3. ^ abcdefghijEllis, Bill (July 29, ).

      Dobie gray net worth: Robinson owned Sugar Hill Records. Bernadine Healy, a cardiologist and educator, was the first woman to head the National Institutes of Health. All All. July 26,

      "Get Lost in the Rock and Roll of 'Drift Away' Dobie Gray". The Commercial Appeal.

    4. ^ abcdWhitburn, Joel (). Top Pop Singles (1st&#;ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc.

      p.&#; ISBN&#;.

    5. ^ abcd"Dobie Gray, "Drift Away", "Loving Arms", "The In-Crowd"". July 16, Retrieved August 26,
    6. ^ abcd"Dobie Gray biography".

    7. Dobie gray partner
    8. Dobie gray net worth
    9. What did dobie gray die from
    10. Was dobie gray married
    11. Dobie gray - drift away

      12. July 26, Retrieved August 26,

    12. ^Ed Hogan (September 13, ). "Gene Page &#; Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 26,
    13. ^"Fred Darian biography". Retrieved August 26,
    14. ^"Play It Again, Max: Pollution - I () & II ()". September 20, Retrieved August 26,
    15. ^Daley, Dan (January 9, ).

      "Classic Tracks: Dobie Gray's "Drift Away"". Mixonline. Archived from the original on August 25, Retrieved August 26,

    16. ^Murrells, Joseph (). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd&#;ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
    17. ^"Dobie Gray: The "Drift Away" man on the "Last Train To Glory" - Dobie Gray".

      .

      Mentor williams Above, Schwartz in receives kisses from Florence Henderson , who played Mrs. The political reporter and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist wrote more than four decades for the Washington Post , where he mentored countless colleagues. It is also known as being the most generous and noble of signs. She had careers as an actress and a psychotherapist.

      Retrieved September 8,

    18. ^ abcd"Dobie Gray Billboard Singles". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on August 27, Retrieved March 18,
    19. ^"Blind Justice (), Soundtracks". IMDb.
    20. ^"Blind Justice, Créditos, Reparto".

      .

    21. ^"ve ParkerNorthern Soul ".

      Dobie gray biography He and two others were honored for their work with the immune system. Dobie Gray was born on July 26, , to a family of sharecroppers in Simonton, Texas some sources cite Brookshire, Texas, as Gray's place of birth, but he claimed on his official website that he hails from Simonton. September 20, Dobie Gray was born on the 26th of July,

      Retrieved August 26,

    22. ^ abRoberts, David (). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th&#;ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
    23. ^Vitello, Paul (December 7, ). "Dobie Gray, Singer Known for 'Drift Away', Dies".

      The New York Times.

    24. ^"New digital release by late singer Dobie Gray will benefit St. Jude".
    25. ^ ab"Dobie Gray - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 27, Retrieved July 31,
    26. ^ abKent, David ().

      Australian Chart Book – (illustrated&#;ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book.

      Dobie gray drift away Retrieved August 26, London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. A legendary producer, director and impresario of the Geffen Playhouse, Gil Cates restored the luster to the Academy Awards telecasts, recruiting hosts such as Billy Crystal and Steve Martin. She was also a prolific artist in her own right.

      p.&#; ISBN&#;.

    27. ^"Dobie Gray, "Drift Away", "Loving Arms", "The In-Crowd"". July 16, Retrieved August 26,
    28. ^Whitburn, Joel (). Top Pop Singles –. Record Research, Inc. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
    29. ^"RIAA - Gold & Platinum - November 21, Dobie Gray certified singles".

      Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on February 25, Retrieved November 21,

    External links