Bill Haley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Haley
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Haley in 1974
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William John Clifton Haley |
| Born | July 6, 1925 Highland Park, Michigan, US |
| Origin | Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | February 9, 1981 (aged 55) Harlingen, Texas, US |
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| Years active | 1946–1980 |
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William John Clifton Haley (born July 6, 1925 – died February 9, 1981) was an American musician. Many people say he helped make rock and roll music popular in the early 1950s. He performed with his band, Bill Haley & His Comets. They had huge hit songs like "Rock Around the Clock" and "See You Later, Alligator". Bill Haley sold over 60 million records worldwide. In 1987, he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after he passed away.
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Bill Haley's Early Life and Music
Bill Haley was born in Highland Park, Michigan, on July 6, 1925. When he was four, he had an ear operation. This surgery accidentally hurt an optic nerve, making him blind in his left eye. He often styled his hair with a special curl over his right eye. This helped draw attention away from his left eye and became his famous look.
Because of the Great Depression, his family moved to Bethel Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, when he was seven. Bill's father played the banjo and mandolin. His mother was a very skilled keyboardist with classical training. Bill once made a guitar out of cardboard, and his parents bought him a real one!
One of his first public shows was in 1938. He played guitar and sang for a baseball team event when he was 13. When he was 15, Bill left home with his guitar. He worked hard to become famous. He sang and yodeled with different bands. He even worked with a traveling medicine show. He later joined a group called the 'Down Homers'.
During the 1940s, Bill Haley was known as "Silver Yodeling Bill Haley." He was considered one of America's best cowboy yodelers. He also worked as a music director for Radio Station WPWA in Chester, Pennsylvania. During this time, he led his own band, Bill Haley's Saddlemen. They played a tough Western style of music. In 1951, the Saddlemen made their first recordings.
The Comets Take Off
In 1952, Bill Haley's band changed its name to Bill Haley with Haley's Comets. The name was inspired by Halley's Comet. In 1953, their song "Crazy Man, Crazy" became the first rock and roll song to appear on the American music charts. It reached number 12 on Billboard magazine's chart. Soon after, the band's name became "Bill Haley & His Comets."
In 1954, Haley recorded "Rock Around the Clock". At first, it was only a small hit. But then, it was used as the theme song for the 1955 movie Blackboard Jungle. After that, the song became a massive hit! It reached number one on the American Billboard chart for eight weeks. Many people see this song as the start of the "rock era" in music. It helped end the popularity of jazz and pop music from earlier times. "Rock Around the Clock" was also the first record to sell over one million copies in both Britain and Germany.
Before "Rock Around the Clock" became a huge hit, Haley had success with "Shake, Rattle and Roll". This song sold a million copies and was the first rock and roll song to enter the UK Singles Chart. Bill Haley and his band were very important in bringing rock and roll music to a wider audience. Before them, it was more of an underground music style.
Bill Haley on TV and Film
Bill Haley and the Comets performed "Rock Around the Clock" on Texaco Star Theater in May 1955. This was one of the first times a rock and roll band was shown on national TV. It helped the new music reach many more people. They were also the first rock and roll act to appear on Ed Sullivan Show in August 1955. They played "Rock Around the Clock" live.
In 1957, Haley became the first major American rock singer to tour Europe. He continued to have hits throughout the 1950s, like "See You Later, Alligator". He also starred in the first rock and roll musical films, Rock Around the Clock and Don't Knock the Rock, both in 1956.
Bill Haley was 30 years old when rock and roll became huge. Younger stars like Elvis Presley soon became more famous in the United States. However, Bill Haley remained very popular in Latin America, Europe, and Australia during the 1960s. The band also appeared on American Bandstand and The Dick Clark Show several times.
Bill Haley's Family Life
Bill Haley was married three times and had at least ten children. His oldest son, John W. Haley, wrote a book about his father's life called Sound and Glory. His youngest daughter, Gina Haley, is also a professional musician. His son Bill Haley Jr. has a tribute band that plays his father's music.
Later Years and Passing
In October 1980, news reports said that Bill Haley had a brain tumor. He passed away at his home in Harlingen, Texas, on February 9, 1981, at age 55. His death certificate stated "natural causes, most likely a heart attack". After a small funeral, he was cremated.
Honors and Lasting Impact
Bill Haley received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 for his music. He was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. His son Pedro accepted the honor for him. The Comets, his band, were also added to the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Many of the original members of Haley's Comets reunited in the late 1980s. They continued to perform around the world for many years. In March 2007, the Original Comets opened the Bill Haley Museum in Munich, Germany.
Asteroid Named After Bill Haley
In February 2006, an International Astronomical Union announced that asteroid 79896 was named Billhaley. This was done to mark 25 years since Bill Haley's death.
Books About Bill Haley
Several books have been written about Bill Haley's life and career:
- Crazy Man, Crazy: The Bill Haley Story by Bill Haley, Jr. and Peter Benjaminson (2019)
- Bill Haley: The Daddy of Rock and Roll by John Swenson (1982)
- Sound and Glory: The Incredible Story of Bill Haley, the Father of Rock 'N' Roll and the Music That Shook the World by John W. Haley with John von Hoëlle (1992)
- Rock Around the Clock: The Record That Started the Rock Revolution! by Jim Dawson (2005)
- Bill Haley: The Father of Rock 'n' Roll by Otto Fuchs (2011)
Bill Haley in Films
Bill Haley has been shown in a few movies:
- John Paramor played him in Shout! The Story of Johnny O'Keefe (1985).
- Michael Daingerfield played him in Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story (1999).
- Dicky Barrett played him in Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999).
Songs Written by Bill Haley
Bill Haley wrote or helped write many songs. Some of his own compositions include: "Four Leaf Clover Blues" (1948), "Crazy Man, Crazy", "Fractured", "Live It Up", "Real Rock Drive", "Birth of the Boogie", "Two Hound Dogs", "Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie", "Hot Dog Buddy Buddy", "R-O-C-K", "Rudy's Rock", "Skinny Minnie", and "Let the Good Times Roll Again" (1979).
He also wrote songs for other artists. These include "I've Got News for You" for Penny Smith and "Calypso Rock" for Dave Day and The Red Coats.
Awards and Recognition
In 1982, Bill Haley's song "Rock Around the Clock" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame. This special Grammy award honors recordings that are at least 25 years old and have important historical meaning.
In December 2017, Bill Haley was also added to the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Bill Haley.jpg
Bill Haley
See also
In Spanish: Bill Haley para niños
