Tommy Roe

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For the English footballer, see Tommy Roe (footballer).
Tommy Roe
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1959–2018
LabelsJudd Records, ABC Paramount Records, Monument Records, MGM Records
Websitetommyroe.com

Thomas David Roe (born May 9, 1942) is an American retired rock and pop singer-songwriter.[1]

Best-remembered for his hits "

bubblegum artists of the late 1960s, but cut some pretty decent rockers along the way, especially early in his career," wrote the AllMusic journalist Bill Dahl.[1]

Biography

Roe was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, where he attended Brown High School.[2] After graduating, he landed a job at General Electric soldering wires.

Tommy Roe first recorded his original song "Sheila" in 1960 for

Jud Phillips's Judd label. "I wrote this poem for a girl I had a crush on in high school, and her name was Freda," recalled Roe in 2015.[3]
"[Jud Phillips said,] 'Son, I like that song but we gotta do somethin' about that title.' So he sent me home and Aunt Sheila was visiting that weekend. The rest is history!" The Judd single, misspelled "Shelia" and credited to "Tommy Roe and the Satins," is simpler than the more famous hit, with a standard vocal, rhythm combo, and backing chorus. It was a regional hit but did not chart nationally.

Roe re-recorded the song for

paradiddle modeled on the 1957 hit "Peggy Sue." Roe's slight Southern accent and his interpolation of a hiccup in the vocal invited comparisons with Buddy Holly
.

This was deliberate, according to Roe: "Felton (producer

gold record until 1969.[2] When "Sheila" became a hit in 1962, ABC-Paramount asked him to go on tour to promote the hit. He was reluctant to give up his secure job at GE until ABC-Paramount advanced him $5,000.[5]

However, in March 1963, the UK music magazine

UK)[7] written by Merle Kilgore
was also popular.

Following a more successful tour of the United Kingdom by his friend Roy Orbison, Roe toured there and then moved to England where he lived for several years. In 1964, Roe recorded a song written by Buzz Cason entitled "Diane From Manchester Square", about a girl who worked at EMI House when it was based in London's Manchester Square. Sales of this single in the UK were poor, and it failed to chart. During the 1960s, he had several more Top 40 hits, including 1966's number 8 "Sweet Pea" (number 1 Canada) and number 6 "Hooray for Hazel" (number 2 Canada).[2]

In 1969, his song "

number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. This transatlantic chart-topper sold two million copies by mid-April 1969, giving him his third gold disc award.[2]

Roe guest-starred in an episode of the American sitcom Green Acres, titled "The Four of Spades", airing on November 8, 1969.

His final Top 10 single, a track co-written with Freddy Weller, titled "Jam Up and Jelly Tight", became his fourth gold record, peaking at number 8 in the U.S. and number 5 in Canada in 1970.[2]

Although his style of music declined in popularity with the 1970s mass market, Roe maintained a following and continued to perform at a variety of concert venues, sometimes with 1960s nostalgia rock and rollers such as Freddy Cannon and Bobby Vee. He recorded numerous singles in the late 1970s and 1980s aimed at the country music market. In 1986, Roe was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Roe's autobiography, originally published in 2016, named From Cabbagetown to Tinseltown and places in between, was co-written with Michael Robert Krikorian.[8]

On February 7, 2018, Roe officially announced his retirement on his Facebook page with this statement:

Today I am announcing my retirement. I have so many great memories of the music and of my fans who have supported me through the years. Fifty five years to be exact. What a gift it has been for me to share this time with you. I hope my music will continue to bring a smile to your hearts and joy to your life. ...I will stay in touch through our Facebook page. But for now I am stepping out of the spotlight from scheduled concerts and interviews. Thank you again for your loyal support. I love you all, and may God Bless you. Tommy

Personal life

A resident of Atlanta, Georgia, and Beverly Hills, California, he was married to actress Josette Banzet until her death in 2020.[9] He has a daughter named Cynthia, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren who all live in Georgia.[citation needed]

Discography

Main article: Tommy Roe discography
  • Sheila (1962)
  • Everybody Likes Tommy Roe (1963)
  • Something for Everybody (1964)
  • Sweet Pea (1966)
  • Phantasy (1967)
  • It's Now Winter's Day (1967)
  • Heather Honey (1969)
  • Dizzy (1969)
  • We Can Make Music (1970)
  • Beginnings (1971)
  • Energy (1976)
  • Full Bloom (1977)
  • Devil's Soul Pile (2012)
  • Confectioner's (2017)

Legacy

  • The Beatles' bootleg album Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962, which was recorded (in very low fidelity) in Hamburg in 1962, shortly before they became an international phenomenon, included a version of "Sheila".[10]
  • "Sweet Pea" is sampled in the song "Lyte As A Rock", appearing on the 1988 album Lyte As A Rock by American rapper MC Lyte.
  • In 1991,
    Vic Reeves released a cover of "Dizzy" that topped the UK Singles Chart.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Bill Dahl (May 9, 1942). "Tommy Roe | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-214-20512-6
    .
  3. ^ Tommy Roe to Rick Simmons, Rebeat Magazine, April 28, 2015.
  4. ^ Tommy Roe to Kent Kotal, Forgotten Hits, March 18, 2016.
  5. ISBN 9780823076772
    . Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  6. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 118. CN 5585.
  7. ^
    ISBN 1-904994-10-5
    .
  8. ISBN 978-1523646814
    .
  9. ^ Rebeat Magazine: "Then and Now, “Everybody” Really Loves Tommy Roe – Part Two" by Rick Simmons April 29, 2015
  10. ^ "US albums: The Beatles Live at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, 1962". DM's Beatles Site. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  11. ISBN 1-904994-10-5
    .

External links
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