- Bobby Helms
Bobby Helms (born Robert Lee Helms,
15 August 1933 –19 June 1997 ) was an Americansinger who enjoyed his peak success in 1957.Career
Born in Bloomington,
Indiana into a musical family, he began performing as a duo with his brother, Freddie, before going on to a successful solo career incountry music . In 1956, Helms made his way to Nashville,Tennessee where he signed arecording contract withDecca Records . The following year would be filled with astonishing successes. Helms' first single in 1957 titled "Fräulein " went to No. 1 on the country music chart and made it into theTop 40 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart. Later that same year he released "My Special Angel" that also went to No. 1 on the country charts and entered the Top 10 on Billboard'spop music chart, peaking at No. 7.Released just a few days before
Christmas of 1957, hissong "Jingle Bell Rock ", was a big hit. Uniquely, it also re-emerged four out of the next five years, and sold so well that it repeated each time as a top hit, and became a Christmas classic still played to this day. Stories that Helms wrote and recorded the song "Jingle Bell Rock" with legendaryguitar playerHank Garland seem to be apocryphal. ASCAP andAllmusic list the writers of the song as Joseph Beal, Joseph Carlton, James Ross and James Boothe. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=17:793783~2~T00A]Helms continued touring and recording for the next three decades. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the
Rockabilly Hall of Fame .Helms spent most of his later years living just outside of
Martinsville, Indiana , until the time of his death fromemphysema andasthma , at the age of 63 in 1997. [ [http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1996.html The Dead Rock Stars Club 1996 - 1997 ] ]He was portrayed by the
actor Brad Hawkins, in the 2006film , "Crazy".elected album discography
*"Jingle Bell Rock" - (1957) - Pilz
*"To My Special Angel" - (1957) - Decca
*"I'm the Man" - (1966) - Kapp
*"Sorry My Name Isn't Fred" - (1966) - Kapp
*"All New Just For You" - (1968) - Little Darlin'
*"Pop-a-Billy" - (1983) - MCAee also
*
List of Hot 100 (U.S.) chart achievements and trivia References
External links
*imdb name|0375742
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7219991 findagrave.com (Photo)]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kpfexql5ldfe~T1 Helms biography at the All Music Guidewebsite ]
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