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Don Covay

 


Singer and song writer Donald James Randolph (Don Covay) was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina on 24 March 1936. 

In the early 1950s he settled in Washington DC and initially sang in a family gospel quartet. His first break in music occurred in 1957 when he joined the Little Richard Revue. 

He started recording soon after but his recording career really started in 1964 when he recorded “Mercy” for the Atlantic distributed Rosemart label. That featured a young guitarist called James Hendrix. Atlantic bought Covay’s contract and in 1965 he recorded “See Saw” at the Stax studios in Memphis. His many published songs include “Chain of Fools” for Aretha Franklin and “Letter full of tears” for Gladys Knight and The Pips.

Don Covay died from complications after a stroke in Franklin Square Hospital, New York, on 31 January 2015. He was 78.

Image of Don Covay and Jerry Wexler: Stones7

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