David Clowney

American pop and R&B pianist and organist, born on August 13, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan. Cousin of [a=Howard Guyton].

Clowney made his first record in 1956 under his own name but it was not until three years later that he scored a major success using the stage name Dave "Baby" Cortez. His instrumental, "The Happy Organ" was the first pop/rock hit to feature the organ as lead instrument with Gary Hammond as drummer. The 45rpm single went to no. 1 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 charts. Cortez had another Top Ten hit in 1962 with "Rinky Dink". He passed away in 2022