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Bobby Vee
(1943 - 2016)

Listen to The night has a thousand eyes - (well, some of it)

Robert Thomas Velline
Born 30th. April 1943 - Fargo, North Dakota
Died 24th. October 2016 - Rogers, Minnesota

Wikipedia page for Bobby

Bobby's Web Site

Let's be honest, when Bobby started having hits in the UK in the early sixties I was not a big fan! Being a bit of a rocker I found his style a bit twee (to clarify, I'm talking about his records). The musical type were actually known as "Bobbies" (presumably because of Vee, Rydell and Vinton although there were others with a different first name - see below). I did take notice when "The night has a thousand eyes" was issued and listened to his earlier singles with a different mind set and decided he wasn't bad! When the age of the cd arrived I bought a couple, loved them, then a couple more. Now have six and they are excellent (have played a couple tonight, sad but true that death makes one relive happier days). Went to see him in 1998 in Woking (actually 18 years ago today as I type this) and he was terrific. Again in 2005 at Windsor and he gave an even better show, more chatty. Struck me as a really nice guy and I'm now sorry that I didn't hang around to get an autograph. It is always sad to lose a "star" from one's past but I find his death more moving than many others (presumably because of the nice guy impression, someone that one would have been pleased to spend a few hours with).

Interesting to see those appearing with Bobby. Chris Montez was MUCH more my style in '62 and I bought a couple of his singles, loved "Running Bear" by Johnny Preston and bought the single, bought the single of "Sealed with a kiss" by Brian Hyland (although he would probably have been called a "Bobby" at the time - see above). Never bought any of Bobby Vee's singles, how one's taste changes over the years!

Strange that, if Buddy Holly hadn't died in that plane crash, we may never have heard of Bobby Vee!