Max Crook facts for kids

Maxfield Doyle Crook (born November 2, 1936 – died July 1, 2020) was an American musician. He was a pioneer in using electronic music in pop songs. He became famous as the main musician on Del Shannon's 1961 hit song "Runaway". Max Crook helped write this song and played his own invention, the Musitron, on it. He also recorded music under the name Maximilian.

Max Crook's Musical Journey

Early Life and First Band

Max Crook was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. His family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, when he was a child. Music was important in his family. His grandfather was a talented musician, and his mother was a trained pianist.

Max first learned to play the accordion. Then he started playing the piano. By the time he was 14, he had already built his own music studio. In 1957, he went to Western Michigan University. There, he started a rock and roll band called The White Bucks. They released a song called "Get That Fly" in 1959.

Inventing the Musitron

In 1959, Max Crook built a special electronic instrument. He called it the Musitron. It was a type of synthesizer, which makes electronic sounds. He made it from a clavioline (an early electronic keyboard) and added many parts. These parts included resistors, television tubes, and pieces from old home appliances and tape recorders.

The Musitron made a unique sound. Other musicians and producers, like Berry Gordy and Ennio Morricone, were influenced by its sound.

Creating the Hit Song "Runaway"

Later in 1959, Max Crook met Charles Westover, who would soon be known as Del Shannon. Del asked Max to join his band, "Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band." Max became their keyboard player. They signed a record deal in 1960. Soon after, Max started playing the Musitron during live shows.

One night, while playing at a club, Max played an unusual chord change. It went from A-minor to G. He and Del Shannon worked together to turn this musical idea into a song. This song became "Runaway".

In January 1961, Del Shannon and Max Crook recorded "Runaway" in New York City. The song quickly became a huge hit around the world. When "Runaway" was popular, there was a contest on American Bandstand. People tried to guess what instrument made the unique sound in the middle of the song. "Runaway" is also listed as #472 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time from 2010.

Solo Career and Other Projects

Max Crook also recorded his own instrumental songs. He released these under the name Maximilian. His song "The Snake" was a hit in Argentina. Later, "The Twistin' Ghost" and "Greyhound" became hits in Canada.

For a while, Max led Del Shannon's old band, which was renamed "The Maximilian Band." But he left the group in late 1962 to focus on his solo career. He also started his own record company, Double A, in Ann Arbor. In the late 1960s, he formed an electronic music duo called "The Sounds of Tomorrow." They played instrumental versions of popular songs.

Later Music and Life

In the late 1960s, Max Crook and his family moved to California. He worked as a burglar alarm installer and a firefighter for a time. But he later returned to music. He recorded again with Del Shannon and also with Brian Hyland. Max's keyboard playing was featured on Brian Hyland's version of "Gypsy Woman" in 1970, which became a hit.

Max also wrote the music for a movie called Time and Beyond. In the 1980s, he began traveling and performing gospel and spiritual music. He even recorded an album called Good News!.

In 2003, Max Crook played on a new version of Del Shannon's "So Long Baby." He played the Musitron, just like in the original songs. In September 2004, he performed at a tribute show for Del Shannon in New York. This was only his second time in New York since recording "Runaway" over 40 years earlier.

Passing Away

Max Crook passed away on July 1, 2020, at the age of 83.