Robert Gordy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Gordy
Born	July 15, 1931
Died	October 21, 2022 (aged 91)

Robert Louis Gordy (born July 15, 1931 – died October 21, 2022) was an American songwriter and music executive. He also sang songs using the name Bob Kayli. He had a small hit song called "Everyone Was There" in 1958. Robert was the brother of Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. He was also the uncle of the singer Redfoo.

Early Life and Beginnings

Robert Gordy was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 15, 1931. He was the youngest of eight children. His parents were Berry "Pops" Gordy Sr. and Bertha Fuller. Like his brother Berry, Robert first became a boxer. Later, he performed at music places like the Flame Show Bar. He also helped manage the darkroom there for his sister Gwen.

Music Career

Robert Gordy had a short career as a singer. He was known as Bob Kayli. His song "Everyone Was There" (1958) was a small hit. He wrote it with his brother Berry. The song reached number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1958. He even performed it on the Dick Clark TV Show. However, the song's popularity didn't last long.

In 1959, Gordy released another song called "Never More." This was on his brother Berry's Anna Records label. After this, he worked for a while in the postal service. As his brother's Motown company grew, Robert came back to work there. He started as a recording engineer. He also released two more songs as Bob Kayli. These were "Small Sad Sam" (1961) and "Hold On Pearl" (1962). Neither of these songs became popular. This ended his career as a recording artist.

Working at Jobete Music

From 1961, Robert Gordy worked for Motown's music publishing company. This company was called Jobete Music Publishing. In 1965, when he was 34, he became the general manager and vice-president of Jobete Music. He held this job for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, Jobete Music was recognized as the top music publisher for 14 years.

As a songwriter, he helped write many songs for early Motown artists. One famous song he co-wrote was "You're What's Happening (In the World Today)." This song was the B-side to "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." That was one of Motown's biggest songs at the time. By 1974, Jobete had over 7,000 songs in its collection. Robert Gordy wanted the company to have a wide range of songs. This included Country music as well as its usual style. He helped turn Jobete into a very successful international company.

Personal Life

Robert Gordy was married to Theresa until she passed away. They had four children together. One of their sons, Robert Jr., died before Robert Gordy in June 2021. His nephew, Redfoo, is a well-known singer and rapper.

Robert Gordy passed away on October 21, 2022. He was at his home in Marina del Rey, California. He was 91 years old and died of natural causes.

Songs Robert Gordy Co-Wrote

Here are some of the songs Robert Gordy helped write: