From:   "Dik de Heer"  
Date:  Sun Mar 24, 2002  2:19 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Don Covay

DON COVAY

Born Donald Randolph Covay, 24 March 1938, Orangeburg, South Carolina

R&B singer / songwriter. Covay first sang with a group called The Rainbows,
which allegedly included Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart. In 1957 he joined
Little Richard's revue as a warm up act, Richard's chauffeur and later as a
member of his touring band The Upsetters. Don copied Richard's high processed
pompadour, which led Richard to give Covay the name of "Pretty Boy". With this
name and the Upsetters he recorded the frantic "Bip Bop Bip" for Atlantic.
Other Little Richard-styled rockers followed, notably "Switchin' in the
Kitchen"/
"Rockin' the Mule" on the Big label, also as Pretty Boy. After Little Richard's
retirement in late 1957, Covay began a solo career, recording for various labels
with little success. He achieved chart status (# 60 pop) with "Pony Time", but
was outsold by Chubby Checker's cover version. Between 1964 and 1975 he had
several R&B and pop hits, including "Mercy Mercy" (1964) and "Seesaw" (1965).
Apart from "Pony Time" and "Seesaw", his best known compositions are "Chain
Of Fools" (Aretha Franklin) and "Letter Full Of Tears" (Gladys Knight and the
Pips).

His best rockers are collected on the CD "Ooh My Soul" (Official 5565).