Rockwell (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rockwell
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Kennedy William Gordy |
| Also known as | Kenneth Gordy |
| Born | March 15, 1964 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Labels | Motown |
| Parent(s) |
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| Relatives |
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Kennedy William Gordy (born March 15, 1964), known by his stage name Rockwell, is an American singer and actor. He is most famous for his 1984 song "Somebody's Watching Me". This song featured his childhood friend Michael Jackson singing in the chorus. Rockwell is also the son of Berry Gordy, who started the famous Motown record company.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Kennedy William Gordy was born on March 15, 1964. His father is Berry Gordy, the founder and CEO of Motown. His mother is Margaret Norton. Rockwell's father named him Kennedy William after two important people: John F. Kennedy and William "Smokey" Robinson. Rockwell has several half-siblings, including Redfoo and Rhonda Ross Kendrick.
Music Career
Rockwell wanted to get a record deal on his own. He did not want people to think he got help from his famous father. This is called nepotism, which means getting special treatment because of family connections. So, he got his record deal without his father knowing.
Motown Records suggested the name "Rockwell" for him. He liked the name because he felt he "rocked well" when he performed.
His Big Hit: "Somebody's Watching Me"
In 1984, Rockwell released his most popular song, "Somebody's Watching Me". His friend Michael Jackson sang the famous chorus parts. Michael's brother, Jermaine Jackson, also sang backing vocals.
"Somebody's Watching Me" was a huge success. It became a gold-certified song in the U.S. This means it sold over 500,000 copies. The song reached number 2 on the U.S. music charts. It was also number 1 on the R&B chart for five weeks. In the UK, it reached number 6.
Beyond the Hits
After "Somebody's Watching Me," Rockwell released other songs. Only one more song, "Obscene Phone Caller," made it into the Top 40. It reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Rockwell released two more albums with Motown. After that, he stopped making music with the company.
In 2021, "Somebody's Watching Me" became popular again. It re-entered the UK chart and reached number 47.
Helping Others
Since the 1990s, Rockwell has focused on charity work. He has helped organizations like the Special Olympics. He also supports the American Cancer Society and the United Negro College Fund. This shows his dedication to helping people.
Rockwell's Music Albums
Rockwell released three studio albums during his music career.
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
AUS |
CAN |
UK |
|||
| Somebody's Watching Me |
|
15 | 5 | 99 | 34 | 52 |
|
| Captured |
|
120 | 52 | — | — | — | |
| The Genie |
|
— | 59 | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | |||||||
Rockwell's Songs
Here are some of the singles Rockwell released.
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US Dance |
AUS |
AUT |
CAN |
NZ |
SWI |
UK |
||||||
| "Somebody's Watching Me" | 1984 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 | Somebody's Watching Me | |||
| "Obscene Phone Caller" | 35 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 79 | |||||
| "Taxman" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 88 | |||||
| "Knife" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "He's a Cobra" | 1985 | 108 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Captured | |||
| "Peeping Tom" | — | — | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Tokyo" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Carmé" | 1986 | — | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Genie | |||
| "Grow-Up!" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | ||||||||||||||
Acting Roles
Rockwell has also appeared in a few movies and TV shows.
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Bloodbrothers | Tyrone |
| 2023 | FITUMI: Fake It til U Make It | Man at table |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Doris Day Show | Himself | Episode: "Whodunnit, Doris" |
See also
In Spanish: Rockwell (cantante) para niños
