An afternoon with Dick Griffey: his philosophy and thoughts on business, with reflections

African American Review, Summer, 1995 by Brenda T. Myers

My pre-interview research had supplied the basic information: I knew that, for over two decades, Dick Griffey, Chairman of the Board of Sound Of Los Angeles Records (SOLAR), had accomplished great things in the entertainment world and returned profits from his business ventures to the community.

His business dreams began to develop when he was a young, promising drummer and student at Tennessee State University. Armed with a rich musical heritage developed and encouraged by his mother, Dick Griffey progressed from an ambitious young man to the owner of the second largest African American-owned record company in the United States.

Griffey entered the entertainment business in the mid-sixties when he discovered the key to business operation: "I started thinking how entertainers come and go, but business people are always here." He used his talents first as the booking agent for a highly successful nightclub, which he co-owned with former schoolmate and ex-New York Knicks player/coach Dick Barnett, but he quickly branched out into concert promotions under the company name Dick Griffey Productions and earned the distinction as the most prominent African American promoter in town. At that time, he was promoting domestic and international tours for some of the nation's biggest acts, such as Stevie Wonder and The Jacksons.

Not content with these achievements, Griffey became talent coordinator for the nationally syndicated television dance program Soul Train. "Concerts were becoming routine to me," he explains. "When you promote a concert you basically do the same thing every time. I was looking for new challenges." The Soul Train venture was so successful that in 1975 Griffey and the show's producer, Don Cornelius, went on to form Soul Train Records. Starting with one small act, Griffey carefully nurtured the label and, after an amicable separation from Cornelius, reorganized the company and founded the SOLAR label in 1977.

Since that time, Griffey has directed SOLAR Records to both national and international prominence. Recording under the SOLAR and CONSTELLATION labels are numerous R&B and pop acts, including Shalamar, The Whispers, Lakeside, Midnight Star, KLYMAXX, Carrie Lucas, The Deele, and Babyface. Griffey has always believed in giving new talents the opportunity to create and develop their craft. He was the first to recognize songwriters/producers James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis, Reggie and Vincent Calloway, Leon Sylvers and Antonio "L.A." Reid, and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, to name a few.

With a SOLAR branch in full operation in Lagos, Nigeria, and distribution of SOLAR records in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Benelux, Griffey's acts have consistently reached and scored well on the music charts, selling millions of records throughout the world. Griffey has now expanded his business from Dick Griffey Productions and the SOLAR and CONSTELLATION record labels to include Griffco, a talent management company which handles various entertainment and public figures, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson; Spectrum VII Music and Hip Trip Music, publishing companies that administer publishing catalogs, including copyrighting, television licensing, royalty, and printed music services; Galaxy Studio, a state-of-the-art recording facility which includes a sound studio, rehearsal room, and writers' room; and the J. Hines Company, a distribution firm which serves as Griffey's memorial to his mother and mentor, Mrs. Juanita Hines. All of these businesses are housed in the multi-million-dollar, multi-story, Griffey-owned and operated Solar Towers located in Hollywood.

What I received from my visit there was a gift of insight into Dick Griffey. He shared his special thinking, the motivation behind his many accomplishments, and his humanitarianism. I began to understand what makes a man a legend in his own time. While most people can only dream of major accomplishments, Dick Griffey makes them a reality. On the day that I met him, two of his companies were repeaters on Black Enterprise's 100 Top Industrial/Service Companies: African Development Public Investment Corporation (#22) and Dick Griffey Productions (#57).

I cannot share with you the force of the man's presence, but I will share with you some of the wisdom he imparted.

Dick Griffey on Why He Founded the African Development Public Investment Company

Through my Africanness, I always had a vision that Africans and African Americans should come together and benefit one another. We are the only people that are from nowhere. Caesar Chavez is a Mexican American, Robert Kennedy is an Irish American, George Deukmejian is an Armenian American. Jesse Jackson is a Black American. Where do Blacks come from? I always understood that we were Africans. Not understanding that is what makes it difficult for us in this world. Until we make that connection, it will remain difficult.

Koreans can come here and do business because they have support from Koreans at home. They have the support of the Korean Bank. There is an ethnic connection that is necessary and very strong.