Celebrated Author Highlights Renewed Interest in Origins of African American West Coast Music Scene: Legendary ‘Dolphin’s Of Hollywood’ Music Store
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Author Jamelle Dolphin, grandson of legendary businessman and record label owner John Dolphin, recently noted the renewed interest in his grandfather’s legacy after news broke of a blaxploitation-history movie about Rudy Ray Moore aka Dolemite slated for streaming release this October. John Dolphin made a name for himself in the 1940s and 1950s after successfully opening and running the iconic record store and music label Dolphin’s Of Hollywood (DOH) in South Central Los Angeles. The highly influential music store quickly became the dancing heart of the nation, enticing patrons like Sam Cooke, Tina Turner and Elvis Presley. Working at the world famous store is where Moore got his start in the music and entertainment business.
“My grandfather’s legacy in the West Coast American music scene, and 20th century music history in general cannot be overstated,” said author Jamelle Dolphin. “He was not only a successful black business man — rare enough for the 1950s — but also the progenitor of a wave of musical talent that swept through Los Angeles and the country. Hollywood is currently capitalizing on some of those stories: artists who had their origins in my grandfather’s shop. And I think that’s a great testament to his influence, and the importance of Dolphin’s Of Hollywood.”
John Dolphin’s contributions to American history and culture are innumerable. From Jazz to Rock and Roll, John’s store elevated the careers of musicians and artists like Sam Cooke, Jesse Belvin, Charles Mingus, Pee Wee Crayton and even Rudy Ray Moore, comedian, musician and actor. Moore starred in the 1975 film “Dolemite” and two sequels, portraying a witty pimp by the same name. The Dolemite persona was developed while Moore worked at DOH, where he first heard lurid and salacious pimp stories that he recorded for three subsequent comedy albums that launched him into fame.
The Legacy of “Lovin’ John” Dolphin
John Dolphin opened DOH at the corner of Vernon and Central Avenue in South Central L.A. in the 1940s. Originally intended to service those who worked the late shift, DOH stayed opened 24-hours and featured deejays like Huggy Boy and Hunter Hancock who broadcasted live on local L.A. radio stations. Dolphin was a shrewd and clever businessman, installing a large display window at the front of the shop that allowed the DJs to perform their shows in full view of the passing public. It was not long before the store became the most popular in America, backed by a celebrated black radio show. Big-named recording artists regularly appeared at the store, performed live interviews, and signed autographs for cheering fans: both black and white.
“At that time, all the most popular musicians were in the hottest record shops, being listened to and promoted by the most popular DJs,” said Jamelle Dolphin. “And there was no more popular music store than my grandfather’s shop. Though racism kept him from opening it directly in Hollywood, where he originally wanted to, racism couldn’t keep the transformative power of black musicians from being heard. As my grandpa said: He’d ‘bring Hollywood‘ to him. And that’s what he did.”
John Dolphin was also a social activist, as any African American leader had to be in the beginning of the Civil Rights upheaval of the 1950s. He protested against ongoing LAPD harassment of black businesses and helped increased the listening volume of black artists who were doing the same. John’s tragic murder in 1958 cut short his life and his career, but his legacy continues to influence artists, musicians and movie makers today.
About Jamelle Dolphin
Jamelle Dolphin is an author and playwright, and the grandson of West Coast music mogul, John Dolphin. Jamelle captured his grandfather’s inspirational story in “Recorded in Hollywood: The John Dolphin Story” and later co-wrote a successful stage musical based on his original book: “Recorded in Hollywood: The Music, The Movement, and The Mogul.” Jamelle currently runs Dolphins of Hollywood Productions in Los Angeles with his siblings, Ahman Dolphin and Glory Dolphin Hammes. Learn more at: www.DolphinsOfHollywood.com.
SOURCE Dolphin’s Of Hollywood
