Career
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Marchan began performing in New Orleans nightclubs, specifically the Dew Drop Inn and the Club Tijuana in the mid-1950s. Marchan also toured with the band of Huey "Piano" Smith, sometimes performing as lead singer/bandleader and substituting vocally for Huey Smith (who reputedly often would stay in New Orleans to write and record while his namesake band Huey Smith and the Clowns played clubs and toured on the road). The touring band included James Booker on piano.
One of Marchan"s vocal performances with Huey Smith and the Clowns can be heard on the New Orleans Rhythm & Blues recording, "Don"t You Just Know lieutenant", which was released in 1958.
Marchan also had a solo #1 hit on the national Rhythm & Blues charts in 1960 with the tune "There"s Something on Your Mind", a cover of a song performed by Big Jay McNeely. Marchan recorded for a handful of small soul labels such as Fire Records, Volt, Dial, Cameo, and Gamble as well as Ace Records, which had released the Clowns" records.
Marchan regularly performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In the 1990s his company Manicure Productions was involved in hip hop music booking and promotion including Take Fo" Records bounce music artist DJ Jubilee.
Marchan died from liver cancer on December 5, 1999.
With Huey (Piano) Smith and the Clowns:
"Rocking Pneumonia and The Boogie Woogle Flu" (Ace 530) 1957 (#5 Rhythm & Blues/#52 People’s)
"Don"t You Just Just Know lieutenant" (Ace 545) 1958 (#4 Rhythm & Blues/#9 People’s)
As Bobby Marchan:
"There"s Something On Your Mind" (Fire 1022) 1960 (#1 Rhythm & Blues/#31 People’s)
"I"ve Got A Thing Going On" (Dial 3022) 1964 (#116 People’s)
"Shake Your Tambourine" (Cameo 429) 1966 (#14 Rhythm & Blues).
