Svensson, Bo

Bo Svensson was an avid collector of Texas music recordings and related material, particularly of the Duke and Peacock record labels and Richard Ames.

Founded by Don D. Robey (1903-1975) in Houston, Texas, in 1949, Peacock Records eventually became the most successful black-owned music label of its day. In 1952, Robey gained control of Duke Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee, expanding his recording empire. The labels primarily consisted of blues and R&B artists, including Peacock's biggest hit-maker Bobby "Blue" Bland. During his decades-long career, Robey developed a reputation for stealing songwriting credits from his artists and conducting ruthless business negotiations.

A contemporary of Robey, Richard Ames co-owned the Houston-based Tantara Records with his younger brother, Steve Ames. He also produced and managed several bands in the mid-1960s, including The Moving Sidewalks and Neal Ford and the Fanatics.

Source:

Himes, Geoffrey. "R&B Robber Baron & Duke Recordings." The Washington Post, January 22, 1993.

From the guide to the Bo Svensson Peacock and Duke Records Collection 2009-074., [ca. 1960s-1990s], (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)