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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZVEE, Bobby(b Robert Thomas Velline, 30 April 1943, Fargo ND; d 24 October 2016, Rogers MN) Pop singer whose first break came as result of Buddy Holly's death: Velline's group the Shadows depped at a dance in Moorehead MN '59 when Holly didn't make it. Vee was only 15; the name of the group was made up on the spot, and they didn't get paid. A few months later the group briefly included a pianist named Zimmerman, billed as Elston Gunn, who later changed his name again to Bob Dylan. It was allegedly Dylan's idea to shorten Bobby's name to Vee; Dylan admired his voice and always remembered him fondly. They scraped up enough money for a recording session, and a local hit 'Suzie Baby' was picked up by producer Snuff Garrett, who groomed Vee for stardom in the Holly vein; ironically he covered Adam Faith's Holly imitation 'What Do You Want' for the US market (without success). 'Devil Or Angel' made no. 6 '60, as did his infectious 'Rubber Ball' (also first UK hit at no. 4). He scored on both sides of the Atlantic with the best Brill Building bullets, the kind of innocent pop the Beatles soon destroyed for ever; of eleven US top 40 hits to '63 the biggest were 'Take Good Care Of My Baby', 'Run To Him' and 'The Night Has A Thousand Eyes', the latter becoming an MOR staple. He was equally popular in UK with ten hits '61-3. His appeal was not all manufactured: Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets '62 was much acclaimed by purists and established the Holly connection once more. He had 38 singles in the Billboard chart 1959-70, including a comeback hit 'Come Back When You Grow Up' '67 with the Strangers, and two more top 40 entries '67-8, but an album Nothin' Like A Sunny Day '72 under his real name failed; he played revival shows to much affection. His last album The Adobe Sessions was released in 2014. |