David Cortez Clowney, known by the stage name Dave "Baby" Cortez (born Augu… Read Full Bio ↴David Cortez Clowney, known by the stage name Dave "Baby" Cortez (born August 13, 1938, Detroit, Michigan), is an American pop and R&B organist and pianist.
Clowney attended Northwestern High School in Detroit. His father played the piano, and encouraged him to pursue a musical career. Clowney played the piano for 10 years, then he took up the organ.
Clowney made his first record in 1956 under his own name but it was not until three years later that he scored a major success using the stage name Dave "Baby" Cortez. His instrumental, "The Happy Organ", was the first pop/rock hit to feature the electronic organ as lead instrument; it featured drummer Gary Hammond and was co-written by noted celebrity photographer James J. Kriegsmann and frequent collaborator Kurt Wood. The guitar solo is by session musician Wild Jimmy Spruill. The 45 rpm single was the first instrumental No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart. Clowney became the first African-American artist to have an instrumental #1 hit. Before making his big break with an instrumental record, Clowney had sung with two doo-wop groups, the Pearls and the Valentines.
The original 45 rpm single was released on the independent Clock Records label but the LP which featured it was released by RCA Victor by arrangement with Clock.
Cortez had another Top Ten hit in 1962 with "Rinky Dink" on Chess Records. This record became well known in the UK as the signature tune of the Saturday afternoon programme Professional Wrestling, introduced by Kent Walton, although few knew the name of the tune or the artist. The song has a strong resemblance to 1957's "Love Is Strange" by Mickey & Sylvia, since it used the same guitar riff.
In 2011, after a 39-year hiatus from recording, Cortez returned with a new album on Norton Records backed by Lonnie Youngblood and His Bloodhounds, including underground luminary Mick Collins of the Dirtbombs and the Gories.
Clowney attended Northwestern High School in Detroit. His father played the piano, and encouraged him to pursue a musical career. Clowney played the piano for 10 years, then he took up the organ.
Clowney made his first record in 1956 under his own name but it was not until three years later that he scored a major success using the stage name Dave "Baby" Cortez. His instrumental, "The Happy Organ", was the first pop/rock hit to feature the electronic organ as lead instrument; it featured drummer Gary Hammond and was co-written by noted celebrity photographer James J. Kriegsmann and frequent collaborator Kurt Wood. The guitar solo is by session musician Wild Jimmy Spruill. The 45 rpm single was the first instrumental No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart. Clowney became the first African-American artist to have an instrumental #1 hit. Before making his big break with an instrumental record, Clowney had sung with two doo-wop groups, the Pearls and the Valentines.
The original 45 rpm single was released on the independent Clock Records label but the LP which featured it was released by RCA Victor by arrangement with Clock.
Cortez had another Top Ten hit in 1962 with "Rinky Dink" on Chess Records. This record became well known in the UK as the signature tune of the Saturday afternoon programme Professional Wrestling, introduced by Kent Walton, although few knew the name of the tune or the artist. The song has a strong resemblance to 1957's "Love Is Strange" by Mickey & Sylvia, since it used the same guitar riff.
In 2011, after a 39-year hiatus from recording, Cortez returned with a new album on Norton Records backed by Lonnie Youngblood and His Bloodhounds, including underground luminary Mick Collins of the Dirtbombs and the Gories.
Rinky Dink
Dave 'Baby' Cortez Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Dave 'Baby' Cortez:
Come See About Me I've been crying 'Cause I'm lonely (for you) Smiles have all…
Come Softly To Me I've been crying 'Cause I'm lonely (for you) Smiles have all…
Happy Organ The best things in life are free But you can keep…
Peg Leg peg leg! everyone's doing it like they should one leg down…
You Talk Too Much You talk too much, you worry me to death, You talk…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@williamhighfill539
I agree...this was always a happy activity song....I'm 70 and everytime I hear this, my best memories is skating to this song in an ice show at the South Mountian Arena in NJ when I was 14....
@vinyltapelover
76 and couldn''t help myself from smiling. This song is like buttered popcorn...It's light, no nutritional value, no social significance to anything going on in the world and it makes me feel unashamedly, damn good. I had no clue until today, that you were Afro American, a talented artist that looked like me. What is most important, though, is how good you made so many of us feel with this song and Happy Organ. So, an appreciative Thank You, Mr. Clowney, Dave "Baby" Cortez, for picking up my spirits, way back then.
@michaelshore2609
beautifully put, and agree 1,000%!
@craigezell4261
So cool.
@pappynitram7097
Man they just don't make music like this anymore. What a shame. Doo Wop will never die.
@1940limited
It' a shame instrumentals fell out of vogue. There were so many of them at one time.
@tubularfrog
One of the best times to be an American. Great song!
@skeeterblanton5226
76 now and this has always been one of my favorite memory songs......I played it a million times on my record player, drove my Mother crazy.....The best of times......
@Jean-Louis-Laylle
I remember this song, I have 23 years in 1962. Beautiful memories.
@muffs55mercury61
The man behind the happy organ came back to the top 10 with this awesome instrumental. The first one I didn't remember new but this one I certainly did. It was great being a kid in 1962.
Great assortment of photos here. You are to be commended.