Music / Business & brands
Robert Gordy
1931–2022 · music publisher, songwriter, singer
Youngest Gordy sibling, a singer as "Bob Kayli", who ran Motown's Jobete Music Publishing for more than two decades.
- Born
Detroit, Michigan- Died
aged 91- Birth name
- Robert Louis Gordy
- Also known as
- Bob Kayli
- Detroit years
- 1931–1970s
- Field
- Music, Business & brands
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
The youngest of the eight Gordy children, Robert was born in Detroit and, like his brother Berry, tried boxing first. He sang at local venues such as the Flame Show Bar, where he also ran the darkroom for his sister Gwen's photo concession. As Bob Kayli he reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958 with the novelty song "Everyone Was There", co-written with Berry, and later cut singles for Anna, Tamla and Gordy. He worked briefly for the post office, then joined Motown as a recording engineer. From 1961 he worked in Jobete, Motown's publishing company, and in 1965, after his sister Loucye's death, became its general manager and vice president, a post he held for over 20 years. He co-wrote songs including "You're What's Happening (In the World Today)" and played a drug dealer in Lady Sings the Blues.
Highlights
- As Bob Kayli: "Everyone Was There" (1958, Billboard Hot 100)
- Head of Jobete Music Publishing from 1965 for more than 20 years
- Co-wrote the B-side of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
- Cameo in Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Performed here · 1950s
Flame Show Bar
Demolished · 1949–1963
He sang here and ran the darkroom for Gwen Gordy's photo concession. Demolished in 1965.
Worked here · 1960s
Motown Museum
Jobete, Motown's publishing company, had its office in the Hitsville row from 1961.