American pop and R&B pianist and organist, born on August 13, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan. Cousin of Howard Guyton.
Clowney made his first record in 1956 under his own name but it was not until three years later that he scored a major success using the stage name Dave Baby Cortez. His instrumental, The Happy Organ was the first pop/rock hit to feature the organ as lead instrument with Gary Hammond as drummer. The 45rpm single went to no. 1 on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 charts. Cortez had another Top Ten hit in 1962 with Rinky Dink.