Bobby Massey is one of the founding members and also a former member of the American R&B group ‘The O’Jays’. He left the group in 1971 in pursuit of a career as a record producer and songwriter.
The 84-year-old American music producer worked with quite a number of record labels before he started his own company known as Devaki Records which he named after his daughter, Devaki.
Who is Bobby Massey?
Bobby was born in Canton, Ohio on March 9, 1940. He attended McKinley High school alongside his friends with whom he would later form the O’Jay band.
While in high school, Bobby and his friends formed a vocal group known as the Mascots. The friends sang on the local radio stations and church choir.
Bobby Massey Left The O’Jays in 1971
While his friends, Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, William Powell, and Bill Isles were focused on making music, Massey decided to concentrate on writing and music production. He eventually left the band in 1971 shortly before they signed with Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International label.
Ten years before he left the band, they released Miracles in 1961. Although they were initially known as “The maggots” and later “The Triumphs”, the band’s name was changed to the O’Jays after Eddie O’Jay joined in 1963.
The group of five would later become four after the departure of Isles in 1965. The quartet then released an album, Comin Thru which made the band enter the Rhythm and Blues Top 10 in 1967.
Following his exit from the band, The O’Jays became a trio and had their biggest success under Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International Records.
According to reports, Massey left the band because he was tired of always performing and touring. Subsequently, he turned to music production and songwriting. He penned down so many hit songs for groups such as the pop group “The Osmonds”.
After working for several labels, Bobby decided to start his own company. In collaboration with Mirus Music, he founded the Devaki company. The company’s first artists include the duo “Truth”.
Despite not being together, the founding members of O’Jays were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 with the exception of Bill Isles. The band was again inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame on August 17, 2013.
Sadly, Bobby Massey’s former band was among the numerous artists that lost their materials in the 2008 Universal fire.
The Canton-born Artist is Married to Barbara Arnold-Massey
The original founding member of the O’Jays, Bobby Massey married Barbara Arnold in the 1970s. She worked as the road manager of The O’Jays and based on her Instagram bio, she is now an entrepreneur.
Together with his wife, Bobby raised three children: David, Tami, and Devaki. There are speculations that Devaki is the only biological child of the couple.
The couple’s famous son David A. Arnold was a stand-up comedian, sitcom writer, producer, and actor before he died on September 7, 2022, at the age of 54. David was known for his stand-up comedy specials David A. Arnold: Fat Ballerina and It Aint For The Weak on Netflix.
The deceased comedian once revealed that growing up with his alleged stepfather, Bobby helped him acquire a unique position as a storyteller and comedian.
Where is He Now?
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Bobby Massey is currently 82 years old and has retired from making music. Nevertheless, his wife still works in the entertainment industry. As per her Instagram bio, she runs a business page with the handle @grandsugamusicpublishing.
On March 9, 2022, his daughter Devaki shared a photo celebrating his 82nd birthday. From the photos, it is safe to say the singer is hale and hearty.
Apparently, he is not the only member of the band that is still alive. The other surviving members are Walter Williams and Eddie Levert. Meanwhile, William Powell and Bill Isles are no more.
Bobby Massey has lived a fulfilled life as a musician, record producer, and songwriter. Of all his three children, it was initially David that took after him in the entertainment industry. Now that David is no more, it is possible his grandchildren might tread the same path. Regardless of who takes after him, Massey and his former band, The O’Jays, still remain one of the best groups of the 1970s.
