Bobby Freeman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bobby Freeman
Bobby Freeman
Background information
Birth name	Robert Thomas Freeman
Born	(1940-06-13)June 13, 1940 Alameda County, California, U.S.
Died	January 23, 2017(2017-01-23) (aged 76) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres	Soul rhythm and blues pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboards
Years active	1956–2016
Labels	Dootone, Josie, London, Autumn, Loma, Touch Music
Associated acts	The Romancers, The West Coast Vocaleers

Robert Thomas Freeman (born June 13, 1940 – died January 23, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was known for his rock, soul, and R&B music. Bobby Freeman, as he was known, came from San Francisco. He had two big hit songs that reached the Top Ten charts. These were "Do You Want to Dance" in 1958 and "C'mon and Swim" in 1964.

Bobby Freeman's Early Life and Music

Bobby Freeman grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. He went to Mission High School. When he was a teenager, he started singing in a doo-wop group called the Romancers. They made their first recordings in 1956 for Dootone Records. One of their songs, "House Cat," became popular on later rock and roll collections.

Becoming a Solo Star

The Romancers group soon broke up. Bobby then started a new group called the Vocaleers. A local radio DJ asked Bobby if he had written any songs. Bobby wrote several and recorded them by himself. One of these songs was "Do You Want to Dance."

A record company executive named Mortimer Palitz heard Bobby's songs. He signed Bobby to his record label, Jubilee Records. The song "Do You Want to Dance" was then recorded in New York with other musicians. It was released on a label called Josie.

"Do You Want to Dance" Success

"Do You Want to Dance" quickly became a huge hit in early 1958. It reached number 5 on the pop music chart. It also went to number 2 on the R&B chart. Bobby was only 17 years old at the time. Many famous artists later sang their own versions of this song. These included the Beach Boys, John Lennon, and the Ramones.

Touring and More Hits

After his big hit, Bobby Freeman appeared on American Bandstand. He also toured with famous musicians like Fats Domino and Jackie Wilson. He had more hit songs on Josie Records. These included "Betty Lou Got a New Pair of Shoes" and "Need Your Love."

In 1960, Bobby left Josie Records and signed with King Records. He had another chart hit with "Shimmy Shimmy."

Later Career and "C'mon and Swim"

Some of Bobby's songs from the early 1960s were not released. He did not have another chart hit until 1964. This was after he signed with the Autumn label. His second Top Ten hit was "C'mon and Swim."

This song was written by the label owner, Tom Donahue. It was also co-written by a young musician named Sylvester Stewart. Sylvester Stewart later became famous as Sly Stone. Sly Stone also produced the song. Bobby's last hit song was "S-W-I-M," which came out later in 1964.

By the late 1960s, Bobby Freeman mostly sang in clubs. He continued to release songs on smaller labels until the mid-1970s. However, these songs did not become big hits. Bobby Freeman performed at the Bay Area Music ("Bammy") Awards in later years. In the 1970s, he became popular with northern soul fans in the UK.

Death

Bobby Freeman passed away on January 23, 2017. He was 76 years old.

Bobby Freeman's Music

Albums

• 1958: Do You Wanna Dance (Jubilee)
• 1959: Get in the Swim (Josie)
• 1960: Lovable Style of Bobby Freeman (King)
• 1964: C'mon and Swim (Autumn)

Chart Singles

These are the songs Bobby Freeman had that appeared on music charts.

Note: * Billboard did not publish an R&B chart during this period.

See also

In Spanish: Bobby Freeman para niños