Freddy Cannon
Freddy Cannon | |
---|---|
Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. (born December 4, 1936),[1] better known by his stage name Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer. His biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".
Early life and education
Picariello was born in Revere, Massachusetts on December 4, 1936, and moved to neighboring Lynn, Massachusetts as a child. His father worked as a truck driver and also played trumpet and sang in local bands. Freddy grew up listening to the rhythm and blues music of Big Joe Turner, Buddy Johnson and others on the radio, and he learned to play guitar.[2] He attended Lynn Vocation High School.
Career
Cannon made his recording debut as a singer in 1958, singing and playing
Inspired musically by Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard, he formed his own group, Freddy Karmon & the Hurricanes, which became increasingly popular in the Greater Boston area, and began to develop a trademark strained singing style.[2] He also became a regular on a local TV dance show, Boston Ballroom, and, in 1958, signed up to a management contract with Boston disc jockey Jack McDermott.[4] With lyrics written by his mother, he prepared a new song which he called "Rock and Roll Baby", and he produced a demo which McDermott took to the writing and production team of Bob Crewe and Frank Slay. They rearranged the song, rewrote the lyrics, and offered to produce a recording in return for two-thirds of the composing credits.[4] The first recording of the song, now titled "Tallahassee Lassie", with a guitar solo by session musician Kenny Paulson, was rejected by several record companies, but was then heard by TV presenter Dick Clark who part-owned Swan Records in Philadelphia.
Clark suggested that the song be re-edited and
He stayed on the Swan label with producer Frank Slay for the next five years and became known as Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon for the thumping power of his recordings. Dick Clark brought him national exposure through his numerous appearances on his
"Freddy Cannon was a true believer, a rocker to the bone. Freddy Cannon made rock & roll records; great noisy rock & roll records, and all of them were infused with a gigantic drum beat that was an automatic invitation to shake it on down anyplace there was a spot to dance."[2]
His second single "Okefenokee" (credited to Freddie Cannon, as were several of his other records) only made No. 43 on the charts, but the next record, "
For the next two years, until early 1962, he continued to have lesser chart hits in the U.S., in some cases with versions of old standards including "
Cannon also appeared with
After leaving Warner Bros. Records in 1967, Cannon released singles on several labels, including Sire, Royal American, Metromedia, MCA, Andee, Claridge, Horn, and Amherst.[12] In the 1970s he recorded and became a promotional man for Buddah Records, but returned to the lower reaches of the charts in 1981 with "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock'n'Roll," recorded with the Belmonts for MiaSound Records[4] and in 1982 appeared in the independent movie, The Junkman.[3] After that, he continued to work with Dick Clark at his American Bandstand reunion concerts and toured all over the world.[5] In 2002, he released an album of seasonal songs, Have A Boom Boom Christmas!![13]
One notable fan of Cannon's was the late
Personal life
Cannon resides in
Discography
Singles
Year | A-side, B-side Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Label & Cat. No. | U.S. Pop[16] | U.S. R&B[16] | UK[17]
|
Album |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1959 | "Tallahassee Lassie" b/w "You Know" (from Freddy Cannon's Solid Gold Hits!) |
Swan 4031 Top Rank JAR135 (UK) |
6
|
13
|
17
|
The Explosive Freddy Cannon |
"Okefenokee" b/w "Kookie Hat" (Non-album track) |
Swan 4038 | 43
|
-
|
-
| ||
"Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" b/w "Fractured" (Non-album track) |
Swan 4043 Top Rank JAR247 (UK) |
3
|
14
|
3
| ||
1960 | "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" b/w "Boston (My Home Town)" |
Swan 4050 | 34
|
-
|
-
| |
" California Here I Come "b/w "Indiana" |
Top Rank JAR309 (UK) | -
|
-
|
33
| ||
"Jump Over" (US A-side) / "The Urge" (UK A-side) |
Swan 4053 Top Rank JAR369 (UK) |
28
|
-
|
18
|
Freddy Cannon's Solid Gold Hits! | |
"Happy Shades of Blue" b/w "(Kwa-Na-Va-Ka) Cuernavaca Choo Choo" |
Swan 4057 | 83
|
-
|
-
| ||
"Humdinger" b/w "My Blue Heaven" (from Freddy Cannon Sings Happy Shades of Blue) |
Swan 4061 | 59
|
-
|
-
| ||
"Muskrat Ramble" b/w "Two Thousand-88" |
Swan 4066 Top Rank JAR548 (UK) |
54
|
-
|
32
| ||
1961 | "Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It" / | Swan 4071 | 51
|
-
|
-
| |
"Opportunity" | 114
|
-
|
-
| |||
"Transistor Sister" b/w "Walk to the Moon" (Non-album track) |
Swan 4078 | 35
|
-
|
-
|
Palisades Park | |
"For Me And My Gal" b/w "Blue Plate Special" (from Freddy Cannon Sings Happy Shades Of Blue) |
Swan 4083 | 71
|
-
|
-
| ||
1962 | "Twistin' All Night Long" (with Danny and The Juniors )b/w "Some Kind of Nut" (by Danny and The Juniors)" |
Swan 4092 | 68
|
-
|
-
|
Non-album tracks |
"Teen Queen of the Week" b/w "Wild Guy" (Non-album track) |
Swan 4096 | 92
|
-
|
-
|
Palisades Park | |
"Palisades Park" b/w "June, July and August" |
Swan 4106 Stateside SS101 (UK) |
3
|
15
|
20
| ||
"What's Gonna Happen When Summer's Done" b/w "Broadway" |
Swan 4117 | 45
|
-
|
-
|
Freddy Cannon Steps Out | |
"If You Were a Rock And Roll Record" b/w "The Truth, Ruth" (Non-album track) |
Swan 4122 | 67
|
-
|
-
| ||
1963 | "Four Letter Man" b/w "Come On and Love Me" (from Freddy Cannon Steps Out) |
Swan 4132 | 121
|
-
|
-
|
Non-album track |
"Patty Baby" b/w "Betty Jean" |
Swan 4139 | 65
|
-
|
-
|
Freddy Cannon Steps Out | |
"Everybody Monkey" b/w "Oh Gloria" (Non-album track) |
Swan 4149 | 52
|
-
|
-
| ||
"That's the Way Girls Are" b/w "Do What the Hippies Do" |
Swan 4155 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
"Sweet Georgia Brown" b/w "What a Party" (from Freddy Cannon Steps Out) |
Swan 4168 | -
|
-
|
-
|
Non-album tracks | |
"The Ups and Downs of Love" b/w "It's Been Nice" |
Swan 4178 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1964 | "Abigail Beecher" b/w "All American Girl" |
Warner Bros. 5409 | 16
|
-
|
-
|
Freddie Cannon |
"Odie Cologne" b/w "O.K. Wheeler, The Used Car Dealer" |
Warner Bros. 5434 | -
|
-
|
-
|
Non-album tracks | |
"Gotta Good Thing Goin'" b/w "Summertime, U.S.A." |
Warner Bros. 5448 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
"Too Much Monkey Business" b/w "Little Autograph Seeker" |
Warner Bros. 5487 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
"In the Night" b/w "Little Miss a Go-Go-Go" |
Warner Bros. 5615 | 132
|
-
|
-
| ||
1965 | "Action" b/w "Beachwood City" |
Warner Bros. 5645 | 13
|
-
|
-
|
Action! |
"Let Me Show You Where It's At" b/w "The Old Rag Man" (Non-album track) |
Warner Bros. 5666 | 127
|
-
|
-
| ||
"She's Somethin' Else" b/w "Little Bitty Corrine" (Non-album track) |
Warner Bros. 5673 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1966 | "The Dedication Song" b/w "Come On, Come On" |
Warner Bros. 5693 | 41
|
-
|
-
|
Non-album tracks |
"The Greatest Show on Earth" b/w "Hokie Pokie Girl" |
Warner Bros. 5810 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
"The Laughing Song" b/w "Natalie" |
Warner Bros. 5832 | 111
|
-
|
-
| ||
"Run for the Sun" b/w "Use Your Imagination" |
Warner Bros. 5859 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
"In My Wildest Dreams" b/w "A Happy Clown" |
Warner Bros. 5876 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1967 | "Maverick's Flat" b/w "Run To The Poet Man" |
Warner Bros. 7019 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
"20th Century Fox" b/w "Cincinnati Woman" |
Warner Bros. 7075 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1968 | "Rock Around the Clock" b/w "Sock It to the Judge" |
We Make Rock'N Roll Records 1601 | 121
|
-
|
-
| |
"Sea Cruise" b/w "She's a Friday Night Fox" |
We Make Rock'N Roll Records 1604 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1969 | "Beautiful Downtown Burbank" b/w "If You Give Me a Title" |
Sire ST 4103 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
"Strawberry Wine" b/w "Blossom Dear" |
Royal American RA 288 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1970 | "Charged-Up, Turned-Up Rock-N-Roll Singer" b/w "I Ain't Much But I'm Yours" |
Royal American RA 2 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
"Night Time Lady" b/w "I Ain't Much But I'm Yours" |
Royal American RA 11 | -
|
-
|
-
| ||
1971 | "Rockin' Robin" b/w "Red Valley" |
Buddah BDA 242 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
1972 | "If You've Got The Time" | Metromedia MM 262 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
1974 | "Rock N'Roll A-B-C's" b/w "Superman" |
MCA 40269 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
1975 | "I Loves Ya" b/w "Chomp-Chomp, Sooey-Sooey" (By Cannon's Express) |
Andee 4001 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
1976 | "Sugar" b/w "Sugar -- Part Two" |
Claridge 416 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
1981 | "Suzanne Somers" b/w "Blankcheck's Market" (by Freddie and Connie W. Cannon) |
Horn HR-8 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
"Let's Put The Fun Back In Rock N Roll" b/w "Your Mama Ain't Always Right" (with the Belmonts) |
MiaSound 1002 | 81
|
-
|
-
| ||
1983 | "Dance To The Bop" b/w "She's A Mean Rebel Rouser" |
Amherst AM-201 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
1988 | "Rockin' In My Socks" b/w "Rockin' In My Socks" (Instrumental) |
Amherst AM-327 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
2013 | "The Sox Are Rockin'" b/w "Red Sox Nation" (with Los Straitjackets) |
Spinout Records SPIN 45-028 | -
|
-
|
-
| |
2016 | "Svengoolie Stomp" b/w "Svengoolie Stomp & Svengoolie Stomp (Sing-A-Long)" |
Wonderclap Records W7 1002 | -
|
-
|
-
|
Albums
- The Explosive Freddy Cannon (1960, Swan LP 502 (Mono)/S 502 (Stereo)) - UK #1
- Freddy Cannon Sings Happy Shades of Blue (1960, Swan LP 504)
- Freddy Cannon's Solid Gold Hits (1961, Swan LP 505)
- Palisades Park (1962, Swan LP 507)
- Steps Out (1962, Swan LPS 511)
- Bang On (1963, Stateside Records SL 10013) - European release of Palisades Park
- The above five albums were issued in mono only
- Freddie Cannon (1964, Warner Bros. W 1544 (Mono)/WS 1544 (Stereo))
- Action (1965, Warner Bros. W 1612/WS 1612)
- Freddy Cannon's Greatest Hits (1966, Warner Bros. W 1628/WS 1628) - Greatest hits from both Swan and Warner Bros. labels
- 14 Booming Hits (1982, Rhino RNDF 210)
- His Latest & Greatest (1991, Critique)
- The Best of Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon (1995, Rhino)
- Where The Action Is The Very Best 1964-1981 (2002, Varese Sarabande)
- Have A Boom Boom Christmas!! (2002, Gotham)
- The Best of Freddy Cannon (Collectibles, 2003)
- Boom Boom Rock 'n' Roll: The Best Of Freddy Cannon (Shout! Factory, 2009)
See also
- List of rock and roll performers
- List of Italian American entertainers
- List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand
- List of guests appearing on The Midnight Special
References
- ^ "1940 United States Federal Census Year: 1940; Census Place: Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: T627_1695; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 19-22". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18. Note: Frederick Picariello,nJr.was born per U.S. Census.
- ^ a b c d Cub Koda. "Freddy Cannon | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
- ^ a b c d e f "Palisades Park – Mr. Freddy "BOOM BOOM" Cannon - Major Performers In Rock And Pop Music". 8 December 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Freddy Cannon". History-of-rock.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
- ^ a b "Freddy Boom Boom Cannon's Home Page". Freddycannon.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
- ^ ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ISBN 0-85112-888-2.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ Billboard - Google Books. 1965-10-02. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
- ^ a b c "Freddy Cannon Record Label Shots". Colorradio.com. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
- ^ "Have a Boom Boom Christmas!! - Freddy Cannon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ Spera, Keith (5 December 2013). "Freddy Cannon's 'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans' is your midday music break". Nola.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ "Freddy Boom Boom Cannon's Home Page". Freddycannon.com. 2012-04-28. Retrieved 2012-05-05.
- ^ a b c d Allmusic.com - Charts & Awards
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-429-1.
External links
- Official website
- Freddy Cannon at IMDb
- Freddy Cannon at AllMusic