Bobby Vee

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Bobby Vee was born Robert Thomas Velline in Fargo, North Dakota on April 30, 1943 into a musical family. His father Sidney played the violin and piano, his uncle played sax, and his two older brothers, Bill and Sidney, Jr. both played guitar. By the age of fifteen Bobby's musical career was already under way. His brother Bill went out and bought a guitar and he saved up enough money from his paper route to eventually buy a new thirty dollar Harmony guitar.

Before long Bill had become an excellent guitar player and began jamming with bass player Jim Stillman and drummer Bob Korum. Bobby tried every angle imaginable to join the group sessions but Bill thought he was too young. "I kind of backed into the band. I used to make all kinds of deals with my brother to come along and practice. When he finally let me join him (if I would promise to keep quite) I was aware that they didn't know any of the songs lyrically and I just happened to know them all. I was fifteen years old and my ears were glued to the radio. It didn't take long before I started singing the songs and they started rockin' along." Before long, Dick Dunkirk took Stillman's place on bass guitar and the "Shadows" became one of the top new bands in the area.

At this point, Bobby's story begins to take on a bitter sweet flavor. On February 3, 1959, a light plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, The Big Bopper and 20 year old pilot Roger Peterson to their next engagement in Moorhead, Minnesota crashed in a snow covered Iowa field, killing everyone on board. People at the local radio station in Moorhead, like everyone, were in a state of shock. The rest of the tour had arrived by bus from Clearlake after a cold and snowy all night drive. A decision was made to continue on with the show. The promoters asked for local talent to help fill in that sad night and as the curtain came up that evening, a new voice was introduced to the world. A "fifteen year old" voice that knew all the words to all the songs. Bobby Vee. In the following thirty plus years Bobby would go on to place thirty-eight songs in the Billboard top 100 charts, six gold singles, fourteen top forty hits and two gold albums.

Bobby's hits were not limited to America. By 1963 he had collected seven top ten hits in England as well as a number 2 album called "Bobby Vee Meets the Crickets" and in 1963 shared the charts for forty weeks side-by-side with the Beatles. His tours took him to Japan, Australia and Europe as well as the United Kingdom, where he is still a yearly visitor. His thirty plus year recording career has produced over twenty-five albums including a Gold Album from England for his 1981 "Singles Album" release. Back in the U.S., Billboard Magazine called him, "One of the top ten most consistent chart makers ever."

Into the nineties, the beat went on. With the continuing demand for product by classic oriented radio stations and collectors alike, EMI/Cema issued a twenty-five song re-mastered compact disc and cassette as part of the Legendary Masters series. Late in the year, a re-issue of his 1963 Christmas album was made available. To coincide with his sold out 1990 tour of England, Bobby issued a 17 song collectors edition cassette called "U.K. Tour '90," on his own Rockhouse Record label. In 1994 critics and collectors gave great reviews to his "Last Of The Great 'Rhythm' Guitar Players" CD. As testimony to Bobby's high energy show and continued popularity the annual readers poll by sixties music magazine The Beat Goes On voted him: 1991 Best American Act; 1992 Best Live Performer; 1993 Favorite Male Singer; and in 1994 he was named Runner Up to Paul McCartney in the category of Most Accomplished Performer.

>On June 20, 1999, Bobby was presented The Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award by North Dakota's Governor Ed Schafer. The Rough Rider Award is the highest recognition given by the state to native North Dakotans.

>Between Europe and America, Bobby and his band perform about a hundred dates a year. When he is not touring or working on his own music, he is involved in the production of various other musical projects at his Rockhouse Recording Studio, located outside of St. Cloud, MN.

Down the Line Bobby says this is his own favourite album and who are we to argue? More rockabilly styled than anything he's done before, these recent recordings of Buddy Holly songs confirm his respect and admiration for Holly & The Crickets. With backing by Bobby's own band The Vees (featuring his sons) he rearranges and breathes new life into the songs. "It might be Vee's best single moment as a recording artist, and certainly is among the finest things he's ever done, just as the whole album is an unexpectedly fine achievement, and full of surprises as well." All Music Guide. CD Price: $14.97

I Wouldn't Change A Thing A family project (with sons Jeff, Tommy and Robb), featuring re-recordings of old songs such as "Take Good care of My Baby" and "The Night Has 1000 Eyes", a couple of classic Del Shannon songs, and several new songs, including one co-written with lyricist Tim Rice. Also features guest artists Brian Hyland and Nanci Griffith, Don Pavel and Ric Gillman. CD Price: $14.97

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