Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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ROE, Tommy

(b 9 May '42, Atlanta GA) Pop singer, producer. Formed the Satins while still in high school, recorded for local Judd label; signed to ABC and recorded "Save Your Kisses', backed with uptempo self-composed song first recorded for Judd: disc jockeys flipped the record and plugged "Sheila' to USA no. 1/UK 2 '62. 22 Hot 100 entries in USA '62-73, only occasionally reaching top 10: Robin Luke's "Susie Darlin'' '62 made top 40 USA/UK '62; "The Folk Singer' flopped in USA, made no. 4 UK; "Everybody' was no. 3 USA/9 UK '63. He became even more poppy, the oldest of the bubblegum blowers in the heyday of the Monkees, Archies etc, reaching top 10 USA with "Sweet Pea' and "Hooray For Hazel' '66, transatlantic no. 1 with infuriating "Dizzy' '69, top 10 USA with "Jam Up Jelly Tight' same year, a few other top 40s. Like many bubblegum/pop contemporaries (Paul Revere's Mark Lindsay, etc) turned to country music, occasionally toured as an oldie. Prod. Felton Jarvis, later Elvis Presley.