View source for Bobby Nunn (R&B musician)

{{Short description|American music producer, songwriter and vocalist}}
{{About|the Motown recording artist|the singer who was a member of The Coasters|Bobby Nunn (Doowop musician)}}
{{other people|Robert Nunn}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Bobby Nunn
| image           = Berry Gordy, Bobby Nunn.jpg
| caption         = Berry Gordy and Bobby Nunn in 1984
| image_size      =
| birth_date      = {{birth year and age|1952}}
| birth_place     = [[Buffalo, New York]], United States
| genre           = [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], pop, [[funk]]
| instrument      = {{hlist|keyboards|Vocals|Bass guitar|drums|percussion}}
| occupation      = Singer, songwriter, record producer
| years_active    = 1970s–present
| label           = [[Motown]], [[Gordy Records|Gordy]], [[Columbia Records|Columbia]], [[MCA Records|MCA]], [[Sony Records|Sony]], [[Death Row Records|Death Row]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]], [[Daptone Records|Daptone]], [[A&M Records|A&M]], [[Word Records|Word]], [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[Tommy Boy Entertainment|Tommy Boy]], [[RCA Records|RCA]], [[So So Def Recordings|So So Def]], CCEG, MoDo, BRANJi Music.
| website         =
| current_member_of = [[Bob & Gene]]
}}
'''Bobby Nunn''' (born 1952)<ref name="Motown">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RG_LAwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Bobby+Nunn%22.+born.+%22buffalo%2C+new+york%22&pg=PT428|title=Motown Encyclopedia|first=Graham|last=Betts|date=June 2, 2014|publisher=AC Publishing|isbn=9781311441546|access-date=October 1, 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref> is an American [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] music producer, songwriter and vocalist, best known for his top 15 US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]] [[record chart|chart]] [[hit single]], "She's Just a Groupie" and for writing and producing the Grammy nominated hit single "[[Rocket 2 U|Rocket 2U]]" for "[[The Jets (Minnesota band)|the Jets]]".
==Life and career==
===Early years===
He was born in [[Buffalo, New York]], United States.<ref name="Motown"/> As a teenager, Nunn honed his writing, producing, singing, musician, and engineering skills at MoDo Records.<ref name="Boogie80">{{cite web|title=Exclusive interview with Bobby Nunn|url=https://boogie80.com/interview-with-bobby-nunn|website=Boogie80|access-date=28 March 2022|date=24 April 2015}}</ref> The MoDo studio was located in the basement of the Nunn family home.<ref name="Boogie80"/> Bobby with childhood friend Gene Coplin, was half of the MoDo duo known as [[Bob & Gene]] recorded tunes for the Nunn family label, Mo Do Records.<ref name="Boogie80"/> Bob and Gene's songs were featured in the films ''[[Why Did I Get Married Too?|Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too]]'', ''[[Our Family Wedding]]'' and ''[[Different from Whom?]]'' In 2011, Bob and Gene were inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bob & Gene|url=https://www.bmhof.org/inductees-b/bob---gene.html|access-date=2022-04-03|website=www.bmhof.org}}</ref>
Nunn's big opportunity came through his association with [[Rick James]].<ref name="Boogie80"/> Nunn played keyboards and sang background vocals on some of James's early [[Motown]] recordings. Those recordings included the single, "[[You and I (Rick James song)|You and I]]" and most of the tracks on James' ''[[Come Get It!]]'' and ''[[Bustin' Out of L Seven]]'' albums.<ref name="Boogie80"/>
===1980s===
After settling in L.A., Nunn worked with [[Earth, Wind & Fire]]'s [[Philip Bailey]] on the ''Splendor'' album that featured him and his brother Billy Nunn, who co-wrote "[[Mary Jane (Rick James song)|Mary Jane]]" with Rick James and "Splendor" for Columbia Records.<ref name="Boogie80"/> Bobby also worked with James on the Temptations' ''[[Reunion (The Temptations album)|Reunion]]'' album.
As a solo artist,<ref name='AMG-Bio'>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-nunn-mn0000087032/biography|title=Bobby Nunn – Biography|author=Bueche, Rick A.|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|location=United States|access-date=January 6, 2011}}</ref> Bobby Nunn co-produced his 1982 debut Motown album ''Second to Nunn'', with [[Winston Monseque]]. He wrote or co-wrote all but one of the tracks.<ref name='Nunn-Second'>{{cite AV media notes|title=Second to Nunn|people=Bobby Nunn|year=1982|publisher=Motown Records}}</ref> The album peaked at No. 148 on the ''[[Billboard 200]]'' album chart. The lead single, "She's Just a Groupie" performed well, peaking at No. 15 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''′s R&B singles chart.<ref name="R&B"/> On the US Dance chart, the song went to No. 28.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|author-link=Joel Whitburn|year=2004|publisher=Record Research|page=191}}</ref> The chorus from "She's Just a Groupie" was used as the chorus on [[Snoop Dogg]]'s song "Groupie" from his double platinum album, ''[[Tha Doggfather]]''.<ref name='Who Sampled'>{{cite web|url=http://www.whosampled.com/Snoop-Dogg/Groupie/|title=Groupie by Snoop Dogg|publisher=Who Sampled|location=United States|access-date=August 17, 2009}}</ref> It was sung by [[Charlie Wilson (musician)|Charlie Wilson]].
Bobby performed on ''[[American Bandstand]]'', ''[[Soul Train]]'', ''[[Thicke of the Night]]'' and other shows during that time.<ref name='Bobby Nunn-IMDB(II)'>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5447373/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1|title=IMDB – Bobby Nunn|publisher=[[IMDb]]|location=United States}}</ref> Nunn's 1983 follow-up album, ''Private Party'', despite some favorable reviews, failed to equal the success of his first release.<ref name='AMG-Party'>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/private-party-r14302|title=Private Party – Bobby Nunn|author=Bueche, Rick A.|publisher=AllMusic|location=United States|quote=A heavy emphasis on computerized instrumentals makes an interesting set.|access-date=January 6, 2011}}</ref> His single "Don't Knock It (Until You Try It)" (on Motown TMG 1323) peaked at No. 65 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in February 1984.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=399}}</ref> The album also spawned a club favorite, "Hangin' Out at the Mall" which featured [[Tata Vega]]. Nunn's third album titled ''Fresh'' recorded in 1984, was never released.<ref name="Boogie80"/>
After leaving Motown, Nunn spent time working as a writer/producer for many artists and labels. Among them were "Long Distant Love" and "Welcome to the Club", produced by [[Nile Rodgers]] for Philip Bailey's ''[[Inside Out (Philip Bailey album)|Inside Out]]'' album. He also wrote the hit single "Thank You" for Bailey's Grammy winning ''[[Triumph (Philip Bailey album)|Triumph]]'' album. In the late 1980s, Bobby Nunn wrote and produced the 1988 top 5, Grammy nominated <ref name='Grammy awards'>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/jets/7447/|title=Rocket 2U|publisher=Recording Academy|location=United States|access-date=August 17, 2020}}</ref> hit song "[[Rocket 2 U|Rocket 2U]]" for [[The Jets (Minnesota band)|the Jets]].<ref name="Motown"/>
In July 2022 Nunn sued The NFL and NBC for using "[[Rocket 2 U|Rocket 2U]]" during football games on NBC without a license.<ref name='Bobby Nunn TMZ'>{{cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2022/07/13/nfl-sued-over-use-of-rocket-2u-song-in-snf-broadcast/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1|title=TMZ – Bobby Nunn|date=July 13, 2022 |publisher=[[TMZ]]|location=United States}}</ref> The case was settled in April 2023 for an undisclosed amount.<ref name='Bobby Nunn-Bloomberg Law'>{{cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/nfl-nbc-settle-rocket-2u-writers-copyright-infringement-case?ref_=fn_al_nm_1|title=Bobby Nunn - Bloomberg Law |publisher=[[bloomberglaw.com]]|location=United States}}</ref>
==Discography==
===Albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Album
! Label
! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Billboard 200|US]]</small><br><ref name="B200">{{cite magazine|title=Bobby Nunn - Billboard 200: Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bobby-nunn/chart-history/tlp/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=28 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328181228/https://www.billboard.com/artist/bobby-nunn/chart-history/tlp/|archive-date=28 March 2022}}</ref>
|-
| 1982
| ''Second to Nunn''
| rowspan="2"|[[Motown Records|Motown]]
| align=center | 148
|-
| 1983
| ''Private Party''
| align=center | —
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
|}
===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Single
! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions
|-
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]</small><br><ref name="R&B">{{cite magazine|title=Bobby Nunn - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bobby-nunn/chart-history/bsi/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=28 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328181226/https://www.billboard.com/artist/bobby-nunn/chart-history/bsi/|archive-date=28 March 2022}}</ref>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br><ref name="DCS">{{cite magazine|title=Bobby Nunn - Dance Club Songs: Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bobby-nunn/chart-history/dsi/|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=28 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328181228/https://www.billboard.com/artist/bobby-nunn/chart-history/dsi/|archive-date=28 March 2022}}</ref>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/><ref name="UK">{{cite web|title=BOBBY NUNN - full Official Chart History|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21375/bobby-nunn/|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=28 March 2022}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1982
| "She's Just a Groupie"
| align=center | 15
| align=center | 28
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Got to Get Up on It"
| align=center | 36
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Sexy Sassy"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Get It While You Can"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1983
| "Private Party"
| align=center | 66
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Hangin' Out at the Mall"
| align=center | 50
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Don't Knock It (Until You Try It)"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 65
|-
| "Do You Look That Good in the Morning?"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Discogs artist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nunn, Bobby}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:American pop pianists]]
[[Category:American male pianists]]
[[Category:American record producers]]
[[Category:American soul musicians]]
[[Category:Motown artists]]
[[Category:American pop keyboardists]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues keyboardists]]
[[Category:American funk keyboardists]]
[[Category:American soul keyboardists]]
[[Category:American funk musicians]]
[[Category:American funk singers]]
[[Category:American soul singers]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:African-American pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]