Peacock Records

DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20th CENTURY, THE MASS-MARKET RECORDINGS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSICIANS WERE GROUPED UNDER THE TERM “RACE MUSIC,” REGARDLESS OF THEIR MUSICAL GENRE, AND THESE MUSICIANS WERE MARKETED STRICTLY TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LISTENERS. IN 1949, A DECADE BEFORE THE BIRTH OF MOTOWN RECORDS, NIGHTCLUB OWNER DON D. ROBEY (1903-1975) SIGNED BLUES MUSICIAN CLARENCE “GATEMOUTH” BROWN TO A MANAGEMENT CONTRACT AND THEN DECIDED TO CREATE HIS OWN RECORD LABEL BECAUSE OF HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE TRADITIONAL “RACE MUSIC” MARKETING OFFERED BY THE MAJOR RECORD LABELS. ROBEY’S PEACOCK RECORDS SOON OUTGREW AN OFFICE LOCATED AT 4104 LYONS, SO HE CONVERTED HIS FORMER DINNER CLUB, THE BRONZE PEACOCK AT 2809 ERASTUS, INTO A LARGER RECORDING STUDIO AND RELOCATED IN 1953. DURING THAT SAME YEAR, ROBEY ADDED DUKE RECORDS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE TO HIS HOLDINGS AND CREATED BACK BEAT RECORDS AS A PEACOCK SUBSIDIARY. THE ACQUISITION OF DUKE RECORDS BROUGHT ROBEY THE CONTRACTS OF SEVERAL WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS, INCLUDING WILLIE MAE “BIG MAMA” THORNTON AND JOHNNY ACE. THE BELLS OF JOY AND THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI WERE AMONG MANY OF PEACOCK’S GOSPEL GROUPS. MUCH OF THE SUCCESS OF DUKE-PEACOCK RECORDS CAN BE CREDITED TO THE SYSTEM OF UTILIZING NUMEROUS RECORDING STUDIOS, PRODUCTION PLANTS, AND DISTRIBUTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO REACH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF ARTISTS AND CUSTOMERS. THE RESULTING PROMINENCE WITHIN THE RECORD BUSINESS LED TO THE PURCHASE OF THE PEACOCK, DUKE, BACK BEAT AND SURE SHOT LABELS BY ABC DUNHILL IN 1973, AND TODAY PEACOCK RECORDS IS REMEMBERED AS A PIONEERING MINORITY RECORDING FIRM.

Peacock Records is a historical marker in Houston, Harris County, dedicated in 2010. It is one of 406 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 781 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.7760, -95.3290 near Houston. The nearest cataloged historic site is First Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Evergreen Negro Cemetery, and Mount Vernon United Methodist Church.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507016494. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.