Dick Griffey

 ( 1938 Births ) 

After moving to Los Angeles in the 1960s, Griffey became part owner of Guys and Dolls, a nightclub which featured performances by such rising stars as Isaac Hayes and Ike & Tina Turner. Eventually he branched into concert promotion, earning the moniker "Kingpin of Soul Promoters". Griffey toured with the girl group Honey Cone and handled their finances. He was Engagement to Carolyn Willis of the group in 1971.

Griffey worked as talent coordinator on Soul Train, the musical variety show created by Don Cornelius. Together they established The Soul Train Club in 1974 and Soul Train Records in 1975. After purchasing Cornelius' share in the Cornelius-Griffey Entertainment Company, encompassing Soul Train Records, artists and publishing catalog Griffey reconstituted the label into SOLAR Records (an acronym for Sound of Los Angeles Records) in 1977. Music critic Stephen Holden, of The New York Times, predicted a bright future for the label in the pop market, writing a profile under the headline "Solar Could Be the Motown of the 80's".Stephen Holden. "Solar Could Be the Motown of the 80's", The New York Times, March 23, 1980. Accessed October 5, 2010. SOLAR acts included Shalamar, which produced such hits as "The Second Time Around" and "This Is for the Lover in You". With The Whispers, SOLAR released such hits as "And the Beat Goes On" (co-written by Griffey) and "Rock Steady". Other acts signed by SOLAR during the 1980s were The Deele, Dynasty, Klymaxx, Lakeside, Midnight Star and The Whispers.Williams, Linda. "Dick Griffey Puts New Energy Into Black Music: Solar Power" , Los Angeles Times, July 18, 1988. Accessed October 5, 2010.

After Jon Gibson was signed to Griffey's subsidiary label, Constellation Records, Griffey would have fun tricking a number of his artists with Gibson's demo tape (with people thinking it was Stevie Wonder). Gibson's debut came as a guest vocalist for three songs on Bill Wolfer's album, Wolf. During the process of making the album, Gibson met his musical idol, Wonder. They worked with a crew of other musicians, including Michael Jackson. Wolfer then produced Gibson's debut album, Standing on the One (1983). The debut showed that Gibson was more than a Wonder-clone, and that he had talented Songwriter skills to go with his strong vocals.

Babyface, who had been frustrated in his role as a background singer with The Deele, credited Griffey with encouraging him to step out on his own and pursue a solo career. Babyface said that Griffey told him "If they don't want you to sing all the time, you should be doing your own thing".Kennedy, Gerick D. "Babyface looks back on Solar Records founder Richard Griffey's 'fantastic voyage'", Los Angeles Times, September 29, 2010. Accessed October 5, 2010. In a statement released after Griffey's death, producer Quincy Jones said Griffey's "fingerprints were on some of the biggest hits of the '80s". Stevie Wonder, one of the artists Griffey promoted, said that "Professionally, I could not talk about my life without there being a chapter on how Dick Griffey, as a promoter, helped to build my career". Griffey, who also promoted Kool & the Gang, was mentioned by the founding members as the one who suggested they needed a permanent lead singer. Therefore, the group picked James "J.T." Taylor to front the band.

In the early 1990s, Griffey had a hand in launching the rap label Death Row Records, which was co-founded by ex-N.W.A star Dr. Dre and one-time bodyguard Suge Knight. It was Griffey's SOLAR studios in which portions of Dr. Dre's seminal album, The Chronic, was recorded. However, in July 1997, Griffey along with one-time N.W.A associate and rapper Tracy "The D.O.C." Curry sued Death Row claiming they were "pushed out" of their share in ownership and profits from the record label by Knight and Dre. "Jailed Death Row Records Founder Ordered to Turn Over Documents", Los Angeles Times, July 3, 1997. Accessed October 6, 2010.