Rockwell

Rockwell (born Kennedy William Gordy on March 15, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan) is a former R&B performer who was signed to the Motown label.

Rockwell is the son of Motown founder and CEO Berry Gordy and Margaret Norton. To avoid charges of nepotism, Rockwell secured his record deal without his father's knowledge.^[1] Motown came up with the name Rockwell. Rockwell changed his name because he believed he "rocked well."

In 1984, Rockwell released his biggest hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me", featuring childhood friends Michael Jackson on guest vocals (notably in the chorus lyrics), and Jermaine Jackson singing back-up.

"Somebody's Watching Me" became a Top 10 pop hit in both the US and UK, and a #1 R&B hit. Follow-up singles underperformed, however, with single "Obscene Phone Caller", being Rockwell's only other Top 40 single. This follow-up single reached #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rockwell soon ended his musical career with Motown.

Rockwell appeared on Soul Train on February 2, 1985 (Season 14, Episode 17)

Rockwell was not the first member of the Gordy family to hit Billboard's Hot 100 as a recording artist. His uncle, Robert Gordy, reached the longer reaches of the chart in 1958 with "Everyone Was There," recording under the name of Bob Kayli.

Rockwell's paternal half-sister is actress Rhonda Ross Kendrick, the eldest child of Diana Ross.

A cover version by Mysto & Pizzi of Rockwell's hit "Somebody's Watching Me" is currently being used in a series of commercials for the auto insurance company GEICO.

Discography

Albums

• Somebody's Watching Me (1984)
• Captured (1985)
• The Genie (1986)
• Rockwell Bloody Rockwell (1987)
• Seriously, Get These Kids Off My Lawn (2010) (pre-production)

Singles

• "Somebody's Watching Me" (1983) US #2, R&B #2, Pop, UK #6, DE #2, AT #14, CH #3
• "He's a Cobra" (Promo) (1984)
• "Obscene Phone Caller" (1984) US #35, DE #53, UK #79
• "Foreign Country" (1984)
• "Taxman" (1984) UK #88
• "He's a Cobra" (1985)
• "Peeping Tom" (1985) US #120**
• "Knife" (1984)
• "Tokyo" (1985)
• "Carmé" (1986)
• "Grow Up" (1986)
• "Carmé" / "Somebody's Watching Me" (1986)
• "Girlfriend" (1991)

References