demo tape (with people thinking it was Stevie Wonder). Gibson's debut came as a guest vocalist for three songs on Bill Wolfer's album, Wolf. During the process of making the album, Gibson met his musical idol, Wonder. They worked with a crew of other musicians, including Michael Jackson. Wolfer then produced Gibson's debut album, Standing on the One (1983). The debut showed that Gibson was more than a Wonder-clone, and that he had talented song-writing skills to go with his strong vocals. Babyface, who had been frustrated in his role as a background singer with The Deele, credited Griffey with encouraging him to step out on his own and pursue a solo career. Babyface said that Griffey told him "If they don't want you to sing all the time, you should be doing your own thing". In a statement released after Griffey's death, producer Quincy Jones said Griffey's "fingerprints were on some of the biggest hits of the '80s". Stevie Wonder, one of the artists Griffey promoted, said that "Professionally, I could not talk about my life without there being a chapter on how Dick Griffey, as a promoter, helped to build my career". Griffey, who also promoted Kool & the Gang, was mentioned by the founding members as the one who suggested they needed a permanent lead singer. Therefore, the group picked James "J.T." Taylor to front the band. In the early 1990s, Griffey had a hand in launching the rap label Death Row Records, which was co-founded by ex-N.W.A star Dr. Dre and one-time bodyguard Suge Knight. It was Griffey's SOLAR studios in which portions of Dr. Dre's seminal album, The Chronic, was recorded. However, in July 1997, Griffey along with one-time N.W.A associate and rapper Tracy "The D.O.C." Curry sued Death Row claiming they were "pushed out" of their share in ownership and profits from the record label by Knight and Dre. Death and legacy Griffey died at the age of 71 on September 24, 2010. He had been recuperating after undergoing quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery, at a rehabilitation center in Canoga Park, Los Angeles. He was survived by his wife Carrie Lucas, a singer he married in 1974; four children and five grandchildren. His daughter, Carolyn Griffey, joined Shalamar in 2005. She currently performs as a member. Griffey is featured in the documentary series, Profiles of African-American Success. In 2018 Griffey's widow Carrie Lucas, Carolyn