• April 30, 1943 - October 24, 2016
• Bobby Vee was born Robert Thomas Velline in Fargo, North Dakota.
• When Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash in Iowa in February 1959, the 15-year-old Robert Velline and his band, The Shadows, were given the unenviable job of replacing the fallen rockers at the next date of their schedule in Moorhead, Minnesota. Their performance there was a success and was to be the start of a lifelong career in music for the frontman.
• Later, Robert Velline went solo, calling himself Bobby Vee. His first single, the self-penned "Suzie Baby," was inspired by Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue." Recorded in 1959, it was a local hit in Minnesota and led to a contract with Liberty Records, which signed Vee later that year.
• Bobby Vee would go on to enjoy a huge successes as a clean-cut pop idol in the days before the British invasion scoring his first US hit with "Devil or Angel" in 1960, and finding international acclaim soon after with "Rubber Ball."
• Bobby Vee recorded regularly until 1970 with varying degrees of success - "Come Back When You Grow Up" reached #3 in 1967. He clocked up a total of 38 Hot 100 chart hits.
• Vee married his first and only wife, Karen Bergen, in Orchard Lane, Michigan on November 8, 1963. They had four children, sons Jeffrey, Thomas, and Robert, and daughter Jennifer. Robert performed with father in his later career.
• He remained a popular live draw until Alzheimer's disease forced him to give up performing in 2011.
• Minnesota native Bob Dylan played piano in Vee's band in 1959. When Bob Dylan played in Minnesota in 2013, Vee was in the audience and he pointed him out calling him, "the most meaningful person I've ever been on stage with." Dylan then played Vee's "Suzie Baby" with emotion.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Cheeseburger in ParadiseJimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett's "Cheeseburger In Paradise" has muenster (cheese), not mustard, as commonly misheard in the line "medium rare with muenster'd be nice."

Stay With MeSam Smith

A gospel choir appears in Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" video, but the vocals on the song are all Smith - about 20 tracks of his voice were used to make him sound like a chorus.

I Kissed a GirlKaty Perry

Katy Perry's breakout hit, "I Kissed A Girl," was surprising to those familiar with her past: Her parents were pastors and she started off singing Christian music.

Everything Your Heart DesiresHall & Oates

The Hall & Oates hit "Everything Your Heart Desires" has no rhymes.

Human NatureMichael Jackson

Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" was written by the keyboard player from Toto, who was working on the Thriller album.

Freedom Of ChoiceDevo

The Devo song "Freedom Of Choice" is about mindless consumerism - how people like to make frivolous choices, but otherwise want to be told what to do.

Editor's Picks

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?