Roy Dea

Roy Dea
Born18 April 1940
Texas, United States
Died18 August 1997
Occupation(s)Record producer, music publisher
Years active1960s - 1990s

Roy Dea was a record producer He produced mainly Country artists which resulted in a good amount of hits. In his early period, he did produce some r&b recordings.

Background

Roy Dea (second name pronounced Day[1]) was born in Texas on April 18, 1940.

Artists he worked with include, Johnny Rodriguez on his release, Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)", Dickey Lee on his release, "9,999,999 Tears", Gary Stewart on his release, "She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)",[2] and Randy Gurley on her releases "Don't Treat Me Like a Stranger"[3] and "If I Ever".[4]

It was Roy Dea who was responsible for Gary Stewart to sign up with RCA Records in 1973. Stewart had recorded a demo tape of Motown songs in a country style. Dea found the tape and encouraged Stewart to sign with RCA.[5] With Stewart working with Dea, a series of good albums followed.[6]

Prior to coming on board with RCA, Dea was working for the Mercury label.[7]

Career

Roy Dea produced the single, "The Hurt Won't Go Away" for Margie Hendrix which was released on Mercury in 1967.[8]

At some stage, Dea became unsatisfied with working for the Mercury label. He moved to Shreveport. In 1970, he returned to Music City and worked with Sun Records. It was his friend and fellow record producer Jerry Kennedy who convinced him to come back to Mercury.[9] This was reported in the March 14 issues of both Cash Box and Record World that Dea had joined the Mercury Record Corporation's A&R staff in Nashville.[10][11] According to Kennedy, Dea was one of the few people he felt he could trust to handle the artists in his name and would be involved in both signing and producing country and r&b acts for the label.[12] It was mentioned in the Record World article that Dea would be expanding the Mercury roster himself as well as taking on some of the production of the prformers that Kennedy was handling.[13]

Johnny Rodriguez was a guitarist in Tom T. Hall's band. It was around 1972 that Hall took Rodriguez to the office of Roy Dea and Jerry Kennedy to audition for the producers at Mercury's Nashville division. Rodriguez performed songs, "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "If I’d Left It Up to You". After hearing his renditions, Dea signed him up immediately.[14] According to the alancackett.com website, when Rodriguez was singing "I Can’t Stop Loving You", he broke into a Spanish verse which resulted in Dea being overcome by it.[15]

It was in the early to mid-1970s that Roy Dea was hired by Jerry Bradley as a producer. This happened when Bradley joined RCA.[16]

It was noted in the June 10, 1994 issue of Radio & Records that Roy Dea and Paul Randall of WSIX in Nashville had formed joint publishing companies, Blue Day Music (BMI) and Gray Music (ASCAP). The offices were located at 30 Music Square West, Ste, 155, Nashville, TN 37203.[17]

Dea produced Johnny Rodriguez' album You Can Say That Again that was released on HighTone Records HCD 8073 in 1996.[18]

Hit productions (selective)

Death

Roy Dea suffered a heart attack in Nashville on August 18, 1997.[19] He died two days later on August 20 at age 57.[20][21]

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Phoenix New Times, January 15, 1992 - MUSIC NEWS, TIME IN A BOTTLEAFTER DECADES OF DRINKIN' AND THINKIN', HONDY-TONK MAVERICK GARY STEWART HAS TROUBLE GETTING MELLOW By Larry Crowley
  2. ^ Roland Note - Roy Dea, Apr 18, 1940
  3. ^ Cash Box, June 16, 1979 - Page 38 45 - REVIEWS - LP, RANDY GURLEY (RCA PB -11611) Don't Treat Me Like A Stranger
  4. ^ Billboard, September 29, 1979 - Page 71 Billboard's Top Single Picks, recommended, RANDY GURLEY-If I Ever
  5. ^ The Musical Divide, May 28, 2020 - The Unbroken Circle: Gary Stewart – “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles) (1975) By Zackary Kephart
  6. ^ Dallas Observer, December 26, 1996 - Roadshows By Matt Weitz
  7. ^ Nu Country - DAVE'S DIARY - 21 DECEMBER 2003 - GARY STEWART - Q & A
  8. ^ Billboard, April 8, 1967 - Page 8 Merc. Push on For New Acts
  9. ^ The Tennessean, Fri Aug 22, 1997 - Page 6 Obituary for Roy Dea
  10. ^ Cash Box, March 14, 1970 - Page 50 Roy Dea Joins Merc In Nashville
  11. ^ Record World, March 14, 1970 - Dea Joins Merc A&R, Nashville
  12. ^ Cash Box, March 14, 1970 - Page 50 Roy Dea Joins Merc In Nashville
  13. ^ Record World, March 14, 1970 - Dea Joins Merc A&R, Nashville
  14. ^ Billy Bob's Texas - JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ, ABOUT JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ:
  15. ^ Alan Cackett - Johnny Rodriguez ('79), First published in Country Music People, August 1979
  16. ^ Phoenix New Times, January 15, 1992 - MUSIC NEWS, TIME IN A BOTTLEAFTER DECADES OF DRINKIN' AND THINKIN', HONDY-TONK MAVERICK GARY STEWART HAS TROUBLE GETTING MELLOW By Larry Crowley
  17. ^ Radio & Records, June 10, 1994 - Page 29 NASHVILLE THIS WEEK
  18. ^ Discogs - Johnny Rodriguez (4) – You Can Say That Again
  19. ^ Roland Note - Roy Dea, Aug 18, 1997
  20. ^ Roland Note - Roy Dea, Aug 20, 1997
  21. ^ The Tennessean, Fri Aug 22, 1997 - Page 6 Obituary for Roy Dea