Bobby Marchan

The next couple of posts are dedicated to the blog's longtime friend, the Record Man. It was he who pointed out that our next two subjects belong to this forum. Thanks a lot, RM! Let's begin with the first of those.

Bobby Marchan, born Oscar James Gibson in Youngstown, Ohio (April 30, 1930), became fascinated by men in drag who performed in local theaters as an adolescent. By 1953, he was working in a troupe of female impersonators known as the Powder Box Revue, who came to New Orleans to perform at the Dew Drop Inn. He liked the city's liberal attitude and decided to stay. Marchan became the MC at the Tiajuana Club, where he discussed make-up with Little Richard.

He made two records in 1954: Just A Little Walk was made for Aladdin records. The B-side was Have Mercy. Here are both sides in one video:

His second single was You Made A Fool Out Of Me, released by Dot records. Unfortunately, neither one was successful.

"I was working at the Club Tiajuana in 1956, when (pianist) Huey Smith brought in (Ace Records') Johnny Vincent," Marchan said in 1998. "I was a singer, emcee and female impersonator. (Vincent) thought I was a woman.

"Johnny said he liked my singing and wanted to record me. He gave me $200 and I signed his contract. A couple of days later we got to Cosimo Matassa's (studio) and Johnny still thought I was a woman because I was dressed in drag. Huey and everybody else was cracking up because Johnny was treating me and talking to me like I was a woman. Finally, Huey told Johnny I was a man and he just about fell on the floor from a heart attack."

Marchan's first taste of success was in 1956 with the release of Chickee Wah-Wah, which was a regional hit.

Marchan and Smith joined forces in 1957 to form The Clowns. As Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, they recorded some of New Orleans' most memorable Rock and Roll.

"I was the group's boss," Mr. Marchan said. "When we first went on the road, Huey went with us, but after a few months he stayed home and concentrated on writing and doing sessions. I hired (pianist) James Booker (remember him?) to take his place because he sounded like Huey."

In 1957, the band recorded this R&R classic, which sold over one million copies. It was Rocking Pneumonia and The Boogie Woogle Flu:

In 1958 they had this smash hit. Don't You Just Know It was their second gold record:

High Blood Pressure was the B-side:

The Clowns were well named, as they fooled around both on and off stage. Although Marchan did not wear drag for their shows, the Clowns made camp gestures, and their backing vocalist, Gerri Hall, maintained that she was more man than the rest of the Clowns put together.

But Marchan was not happy at seeing only Smith's face on the cover. The Clowns, who included such colourful characters as Scarface Williams, Peg Leg Martin and Eugene Francis, who had green hair, may not have been photogenic enough.

As a result of Marchan's dissatisfaction, two singles were issued under the name Bobby Marchan and the Clowns in 1958: Rockin' Behind the Iron Curtain is a nonsensical look at Communism:

You Can't Stop Her was the B-side:

... While Would You Believe It (I Have A Cold) was based on a commercial. Marchan had hoped for exposure on Dick Clark's show American Bandstand, but Clark thought the reference to "drinking Tequila all day" in the latter song might corrupt teenagers.

Smith recorded his best song, Sea Cruise, with Marchan, but Johnny Vincent thought it would suit a new white vocalist, Frankie Ford. He removed Marchan's vocal and added Ford's, doing the same with another track, Roberta. Ford's record became extremely successful and meant that Marchan was bound to leave Ace Records.

Unfortunately, when he made his first recording for Fire Records, they did not appreciate that he was still under contract to Ace. His fecklessness almost jeopardised his epic version of Big Joe McNeely's There Is Something On Your Mind. Ace tried to prevent the record reaching the shops, but it became very popular, especially its Part 2, in which Marchan narrates with increasing passion what he is going to do to his woman. The record made the US Top Forty, and was probably Marchan's definitive moment as a vocalist. Here are parts 1 & 2 together in one video:

Unfortunately, its follow-up, a dance song, Booty Green, was less interesting, and consequently less commercially successful.

What You Don't Know Don't Hurt You was released in 1961:

Yes, It's Written All Over Your Face / Look At My Heart was released in 1962. Here's Look At My Heart:

However, none of the followups to There Is Something On Your Mind managed to achieve any siginificant success, so in 1963 he signed for Stax/Volt Records on the recommendation of Otis Redding. He recorded What Can I Do for them:

He soon moved on to the Dial label, where in 1964 he recorded his own song Get Down With It. The song was covered by Little Richard, and then reworked in 1971 by British Glam Rock band Slade as Get Down and Get with It, giving the band their first chart hit. Here's Bobby's original version:

... And here's Slade's hit version:

The other side of Get Down With It was Half A Mind:

In 1965 he released Hello Happiness:

In 1966 he moved to yet another record company (Cameo). That year he released Shake Your Tambourine for them:

... As well as There's Something About My Baby:

In 1967 he released Hooked:

... Also Help Yourself:

In 1968 came a new label (Action), and a new single, (Ain't No Reason) For Girls To Be Lonely:

For fanatic record collectors only: somehow, For Girls To Be Lonely found itself on the B-side of a Greek single by Melody records in 1972. The A-side was this (mediocre) cover of that year's international hit, Mamy Blue:

By the mid-1970s, Marchan was living in Pensacola, Fla., and barnstorming the South again as a female impersonator-bandleader. In 1977, he returned to New Orleans as emcee at Prout's Club Alhambra. 

In the 1980s, Marchan began appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and presenting gong shows at local clubs. A bout with cancer and the removal of a kidney in the early 1990s cut down his performing, but he remained active in the music business. He started Manicure Productions, a company that scouted, promoted and booked Hip-Hop acts, and was also a key figure in the formation and success of Cash Money Records.

Marchan's last public appearance was at the 1999 Essence Music Festival. He died from liver cancer in Gretna, Louisiana on December 5, 1999, aged 69. He was survived by an aunt, Anabelle E. Adair of Youngstown, Ohio.

Marchan was proud of his music, saying "I thought we made records that were different from everyone else in the 1950s." I think you're right, Bobby. It's a shame that you weren't appreciated enough...