Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee was born Robert Thomas Velline on 30 April 1943 in
Fargo, North Dakota. As a teenager he was obsessed with Buddy
Holly.
When it was announced that Holly and The Crickets were due
to perform in his hometown, he hastily formed a high school group
with his brother Bob and three others. Calling themselves The
Shadows they slavishly copied Buddy Holly.
Ironically, Holly's sudden death on 3 February 1959 gave The
Shadows their first professional break.
Buddy Holly and The Crickets were due to perform at the
Winter Dance Party in Fargo when the plane crashed killing Holly,
Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. The Shadows stepped in to
fill their spot on the show after answering an appeal from their
local radio station.
And it was from this performance that Bobby Vee's Shadows
moved on to regular gigs, before financing their recording session
at Soma Records' studio in Minneapolis. Suzy Baby,
written by Bobby Vee (in Holly's style of course) was the
result.
When the single was issued it naturally became a local hit.
Then Liberty Records purchased the master recording to release it
on a national basis. It debuted in the American chart at Number
77, at which point the record company offered the group two deals.
One for The Shadows, the other for Bobby Vee as a soloist.
Early in 1960, after working with respected producer Snuff
Garrett, Bobby Vee, emulating Holly, recorded What Do You
Want? (covered by Adam Faith who had the British hit in
1959). It struggled into the American Top 100.
After much persuasion by Garrett, Vee recorded Devil or
Angel, previously a hit for The Clovers. Despite Vee's
reservations, the single stormed up the American charts to an
impressive Number 6.
But it was in 1961 that the young singer really made his mark
when he recorded Rubber Ball, an infectious yet childish
song written by Gene Pitney and Aaron Schroeder. It was Vee's
first million-seller. Within weeks, Rubber Ball also gave
Vee his debut British hit at Number 4, beating rock & roller
Marty Wilde's version which stalled at Number 9.
More Than I Can Say, originally the B-side of the
American hit Stayin' In, likewise reached Number 4, but
it was his fourth single that finally elevated Bobby Vee to the
Number 1 position.
 Snuff Garrett was searching for suitable songs and visited
various publishers, including Aldon Music. There he heard a demo
of Take Good Care Of My Baby written by Carole King. He
was told the song wasn't available as Dion had already recorded
it, although it was doubtful it would be issued.
Garrett persuaded Carole King to modify the song to suit
Vee. It was the perfect pop song, bursting with the writer's
innate ability to compose a strong, flowing melody. It blended
perfectly with Vee's voice and topped the charts on both sides of
the Atlantic, selling a million copies in each country.
Dion did later release his version on the Runaround
Sue album and Bobby Vee himself re-recorded it at a slower
pace for his 1972 album Nothin' Like a Sunny Day,
released under his real name.
The follow-up, Run To Him, was equally impressive,
although it faltered at Number 6 in Britain, while the album Take
Good Care Of My Baby reached the Top 10.
To cash in on his British success, Bobby Vee, with his
all-American clean-cut image, toured the country, fitting in
television spots when he could. Please Don't Ask About
Barbara became a Number 29 hit, and in July 1962 Sharing
You peaked at Number 10.
After releasing the inevitable Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets
album, which featured as his best-selling album in Britain, the
singer actually toured with Buddy Holly's group.
Following this and before 1962 was out, A Forever Kind Of
Love reached the Top 20. Recorded in Britain with Norrie
Paramor as producer, it was another slice of Bobby Vee magic - A
strong melody against his warm voice. It couldn't fail.
To start 1963, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, lifted
from the Just For Fun movie, soared into the Top Three in
both Britain and America. yet despite the conveyor belt of hits,
Bobby's final British chart entry was imminent. Titled Bobby
Tomorrow, it stalled outside the Top 20 at the end of 1963.
Although his British recording career was finished, Vee
continued to work with Snuff Garrett until 1965. None of his
singles reached the Top 20 in America until 1967 when he recorded Come
Back When You Grow Up with The Strangers, which hit the top
three.
Bobby Vee remained a recording artist until 1972 but his past
success evaded him. All attempts to leave his 'sound' behind and
to experiment with different styles like lightweight country and
western didn't work.
Following the release of the compilation The Bobby Vee
Singles Album, the singer was a regular contributor to the
'oldies but goldies' packages.
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