Duke Records

Duke and Peacock Records was an African-American-owned company that achieved prominence in the music industry a decade before Motown. Founded in 1949 by Don Robey, Peacock Records later partnered with Duke Records in 1952, with Robey becoming the sole owner of Duke in 1953 and consolidating operations in Houston.1

The label's primary genres were gospel and blues, featuring artists like the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and Junior Parker. In 1952, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton recorded the original version of “Hound Dog,” which Elvis Presley later transformed into a rock-and-roll hit. Johnny Ace, a ballad singer for Duke, became an early icon of the teen era after his death in a game of Russian roulette, with his posthumous song “Pledging My Love” becoming a lasting classic.1