Bobby Vee

Bobby Vee entered the music scene by stepping in for Buddy Holly following the latter's fatal plane crash, achieving multiple pop successes throughout the opening years of the 1960s, an interval in popular music that fell between the emergence of rock & roll and the arrival of the British Invasion. Although certain releases such as "Rubber Ball" matched the lightweight character typical of that time, Vee displayed a talent for catchy Brill Building pop that stemmed from his lively vocal delivery and the team of songwriters supporting him.

Robert Thomas Velline came into the world in Fargo, North Dakota during 1943 and remained a teenager when he assembled his initial group, the Shadows, alongside his brother Bill and their companion Bob Korum. The three musicians performed locally until a major opportunity arose through the misfortune of one of Bobby's key inspirations; the Winter Dance Party tour featuring Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper was en route to Fargo when the aircraft crashed in Iowa, resulting in the deaths of all three performers. The Shadows took the stage in Holly's place, and several months afterward producer Tommy "Snuff" Garrett oversaw their debut session that yielded the single "Suzie Baby" for Soma Records. Liberty/RCA acquired the track later that year, and although it only reached the lower rungs of the pop listings, the label persisted with Vee on his own by having him cut Adam Faith's "What Do You Want?," another release that failed to register.

The combined strength of Brill Building songwriters nevertheless ensured Vee's breakthrough; his third outing, "Devil or Angel," reached the Top Ten by the middle of 1960 and was succeeded by "Rubber Ball" before the year closed. Twelve months later his largest success, "Take Good Care of My Baby," held the number-one spot for three weeks and was followed by the number-two entry "Run to Him." His prominence began to diminish after the 1962 Top Ten release "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," largely because of the impact made by the Beatles and additional British performers. Vee took roles in films including Just for Fun and Play It Cool, then attempted to ride the British wave through the underwhelming Bobby Vee Sings the New Sound from England!, while also interpreting material from his formative influences Buddy Holly and the Crickets. He maintained chart activity across the remainder of the 1960s and returned to the Top Ten in 1967 via "Come Back When You Grow Up," yet after a short venture into more earnest material he gravitated toward the rock & roll revival circuit. Vee passed away in 2016 at the age of 73.