Bobby Marchan (born Oscar James Gibson, 1930–1999) was an influential American R&B singer, songwriter, bandleader, and female impersonator whose diverse career bridged the gap between 1950s rhythm and blues and 1990s New Orleans hip-hop. Originally from Ohio, Marchan began performing as a female impersonator in his teens, forming a drag troupe called the Powder Box Revue. By the mid-1950s, he had relocated to New Orleans to perform in nightclubs and began recording music. Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns (1957–1959): Marchan gained prominence as the lead singer and bandleader for the touring version of the Clowns. He often fronted the band while Huey Smith stayed behind to write, contributing vocals to hit records like "Don't You Just Know It." After leaving the Clowns in 1959, Marchan launched a solo career. In 1960, he scored a number one hit on the national R&B chart with "There's Something on Your Mind," featuring his distinctive lengthy spoken-word passages. Throughout the 1960s, he recorded for several labels, including a subsidiary of Stax. In 1965, he wrote and recorded "Get Down With It," a song later covered by Little Richard and reworked into a breakout hit by the British glam rock band Slade ("Get Down and Get with It"). By the 1970s, Marchan returned to his roots as a female impersonator and club MC in New Orleans. In the 1980s and 90s, he founded Manicure Productions, becoming a key promotional figure in the emerging New Orleans hip-hop and bounce music scenes. He promoted artists like DJ Jubilee and was involved in the early formation of the legendary Cash Money Records. Marchan passed away from liver cancer in Louisiana in 1999 at the age of 69, leaving behind a remarkably versatile musical legacy.
About Bobby Marchan
Bobby Marchan (born Oscar James Gibson, 1930–1999) was an influential American R&B singer, songwriter, bandleader, and female impersonator whose diverse career bridged the gap between 1950s rhythm and blues and 1990s New Orleans hip-hop. Originally from Ohio, Marchan began performing as a female impersonator in his teens, forming a drag troupe called the Powder Box Revue. By the mid-1950s, he had relocated to New Orleans to perform in nightclubs and began recording music. Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns (1957–1959): Marchan gained prominence as the lead singer and bandleader for the touring version of the Clowns. He often fronted the band while Huey Smith stayed behind to write, contributing vocals to hit records like "Don't You Just Know It." After leaving the Clowns in 1959, Marchan launched a solo career. In 1960, he scored a number one hit on the national R&B chart with "There's Something on Your Mind," featuring his distinctive lengthy spoken-word passages. Throughout the 1960s, he recorded for several labels, including a subsidiary of Stax. In 1965, he wrote and recorded "Get Down With It," a song later covered by Little Richard and reworked into a breakout hit by the British glam rock band Slade ("Get Down and Get with It"). By the 1970s, Marchan returned to his roots as a female impersonator and club MC in New Orleans. In the 1980s and 90s, he founded Manicure Productions, becoming a key promotional figure in the emerging New Orleans hip-hop and bounce music scenes. He promoted artists like DJ Jubilee and was involved in the early formation of the legendary Cash Money Records. Marchan passed away from liver cancer in Louisiana in 1999 at the age of 69, leaving behind a remarkably versatile musical legacy.