Rockwell (musician)
(Read all about Rockwell after the video)
Kennedy William Gordy (born May 15, 1964), better known by his stage name Rockwell, is an American singer, songwriter and recording artist who was signed to the Motown label.
Early life
Rockwell is the son of Motown founder and CEO Berry Gordy and Margaret Norton. His father named him Kennedy William Gordy after John F. Kennedy and William "Smokey" Robinson.[1]
Career
To avoid the appearance of nepotism, he secured his record deal without his father's knowledge.[2] Motown actually came up with the name Rockwell and the young Gordy agreed to the change because he believed he "rocked well."
In 1984, Rockwell released his biggest hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me", featuring childhood friend Michael Jackson on guest vocals (notably in the chorus lyrics), and Jermaine Jackson
singing back-up. "Somebody's Watching Me" became a Gold-certified
million selling #2 smash hit in both the US and UK. Additionally, it
held #1 on Billboard's R&B chart for five weeks. Follow-up singles
underperformed, however, with single "Obscene Phone Caller" being
Rockwell's only other Top 40 single. This follow-up single reached #35
on the Billboard Hot 100. Rockwell soon ended his musical career with
Motown.
Rockwell was not the first member of the Gordy family to hit Billboard's Hot 100 as a recording artist. His uncle, Robert Gordy, reached the longer reaches of the chart in 1958 with "Everyone Was There," recording under the name of Bob Kayli.
Personal life
Rockwell's paternal half-sister is actress Rhonda Ross Kendrick, the eldest child of Diana Ross. Rockwell is also closely related to the group LMFAO through his half-brother Redfoo (Stefan Kendal Gordy, son of Berry Gordy and Nancy Leiviska) and his nephew SkyBlu (Skyler Austen Gordy, son of half-brother Berry Gordy IV and his wife Valerie Robeson).
In July 2010, Kennedy (Rockwell) married Nicole Moore. In 2013 he
filed for divorce on grounds of "irreconcilable differences". The couple
have no children together. In the divorce filing, Rockwell asked not to
pay spousal support.[3]
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