He’s a former teen idol who Billboard magazine has called the most successful love singer of the rock era.
From 1962 to 1972, he had more No. 1 hits than any other male solo artist. Hits like “Roses are Red,” “Blue Velvet,” and “Mr. Lonely” appealed to fans of all ages.
Nearly 50 years later, many of his songs still hold the same magic. Bobby says that’s because he always had one goal has a singer and songwriter — keeping things honest, plain and simple.
At a time when every artist had a gimmick, Bobby says his gimmick was having no gimmick.
Now 74, Bobby says his voice is stronger and better than ever. The multi-talented musician — he plays the sax, trumpet, clarinet and piano on stage — says he works hard to keep improving his live shows. He never wants his audience to see the same show twice.
He says he’s gained a lot of confidence in himself over the years, which he says has made him a stronger performer.
Bobby describes the early days of his career, when he backed for everyone from Connie Francis to Brenda Lee. He explains how his definition of success has evolved from them until now.
And he talks about how his old song “Mr. Lonely” found new success and a new audience when it was recently covered by hip-hop artist Akon.