Mike Rabon
Michael Lee Rabon (April 16, 1943 – February 11, 2022) was an American musician. He was the
Early life
Rabon was born in Port Arthur, Texas, in April 1943 but moved to southeastern Oklahoma in the first year of his life. His father and mother, both Oklahoma natives, taught school in a tiny community in Oklahoma called Spencerville with a population of about 300, before later moving to Hugo, Oklahoma.[4] It was there that Rabon taught himself to play guitar. By age 12, he had joined a local group called the Buckaroos.
After graduating from
The Five Americans
In college, he formed the beginnings of the Five Americans. The band was originally named the Mutineers[4] but was later changed to the Five Americans to combat the constant British Invasion influence in the mid-1960s.[3] The group became successful charting 5 records: "I See the Light", "Evol Not Love", "Sound of Love", "ZipCode", and "Western Union", the last covered by the Ventures, the Strangers (Australia), and the Searchers (England), and also used in the film Vanilla Sky (2001) starring Tom Cruise.
Mike Rabon had a successful touring career afterwards, released two albums that sold well, and played guitar for the Tyler, Texas, pop group
After 10 years in the music business, Rabon went back to college and obtained his
Personal life and death
Rabon married Cara Beth Whitworth in 1979. He died on February 11, 2022, at the age of 78.[5]
References
- ^ Unterberger, Richie &; Eder, Bruce. "Biography: The Five Americans". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ "Michael Rabon & the Five Americans - Now and Then". Sundazed.com. Sundazed Records. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ a b James, Gary. "Gary James' Interview With Mike Rabon Of Five Americans". ClassicBands.com. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Heckmann, Paul. "Music : MIKE RABON, THE FIVE AMERICANS". MemoriesofDallas.org. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Michael Lee Rabon", Prater-Lambton. Retrieved February 19, 2022
External links
- Mike Rabon discography at Discogs
- Mike Rabon at IMDb
- The PURPLE HAZE ARCHIVE PRESENTS : Mike Rabon of the Five Americans (podcast) - Interview by 88.3 Southern FM in Australia