Tommy Roe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tommy Roe
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Roe in 1970
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas David Roe |
| Born | May 9, 1942 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1959–2018, 2022–present |
| Labels | Judd Records, ABC Paramount Records, Monument Records, MGM Records, His Master's Voice |
Thomas David Roe (born May 9, 1942) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for his rock and pop music.
Tommy Roe is famous for his hit songs like "Sheila" (1962), "Sweet Pea" (1966), and "Dizzy" (1969). Many people see him as a key artist in the "bubblegum" music style of the late 1960s. However, he also made some great rock songs, especially early in his career.
Contents
Early Life and First Hits
Tommy Roe was born and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. He went to Brown High School. After finishing school, he worked at General Electric, putting wires together.
Roe first recorded his song "Sheila" in 1960 for a record label called Judd. He later said that he wrote the poem for the song about a girl he liked in high school named Freda. The record label owner liked the song but wanted to change the title. Tommy's Aunt Sheila was visiting that weekend, and the rest is history! The first version of "Sheila" was a local hit but did not become famous across the country.
In 1962, Roe recorded "Sheila" again for ABC-Paramount Records. This new version had a catchy drum beat, similar to the 1957 hit song "Peggy Sue". Tommy's singing style, with a slight Southern accent and a "hiccup" sound, reminded people of singer Buddy Holly.
Tommy Roe said that the producer, Felton Jarvis, wanted to make the song sound like Buddy Holly's music. This was because Buddy Holly had passed away, and there were many fans who missed his sound. The new version of "Sheila" became a number one hit in the U.S. and Australia in 1962. It sold so many copies that it earned a "gold record" award in 1969. When "Sheila" became a hit, ABC-Paramount asked Tommy to go on tour. He was not sure about leaving his job at General Electric until the record company gave him $5,000.
Touring and More Success
In March 1963, a UK music magazine reported that Tommy Roe and Chris Montez were overshadowed by the Beatles and their fans during a 21-day tour in the UK. Later that year, Roe had another big hit with "Everybody", which reached number 3 in the U.S. and number 9 in the UK. His song "The Folk Singer" was also very popular in the UK.
After a successful tour by his friend Roy Orbison, Tommy Roe also toured the United Kingdom. He then moved to England and lived there for several years. In the 1960s, he had several more songs that made it into the Top 40. These included "Sweet Pea" in 1966 and "Hooray for Hazel".
In 1969, his song "Dizzy" became a number one hit in the U.S., the UK, and Canada. This song sold two million copies, earning him his third gold record award.
Tommy Roe also appeared in an episode of the TV show Green Acres in 1969. His last Top 10 song was "Jam Up and Jelly Tight", which he wrote with Freddy Weller. It became his fourth gold record in 1970.
Later Career and Retirement
Even though his music style became less popular in the 1970s, Tommy Roe still had many fans. He continued to perform at concerts, sometimes with other rock and roll artists from the 1960s. He also recorded many songs for the country music market in the late 1970s and 1980s.
In 1986, Tommy Roe was honored by being added to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. His important work in music has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
In 2016, Tommy Roe released his autobiography, a book about his life, called From Cabbagetown to Tinseltown and places in between.
On February 7, 2018, Tommy Roe announced on his Facebook page that he was retiring. He thanked his fans for their support over 55 years and said his music would continue to bring joy. He said he would step away from scheduled concerts and interviews but would stay in touch through Facebook.
However, on May 2, 2022, Tommy Roe released a new song called "80" to celebrate his 80th birthday. He also appeared on several podcasts to talk about his music career.
On January 5, 2023, Roe released a new album called From Here to Here. In an interview in February 2023, he confirmed he was back to making music. He said he loves doing it and will continue as long as he can. In April 2023, Tommy Roe announced new concert dates, which were his first live shows since his retirement announcement in 2018.
Personal Life
Tommy Roe lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and Beverly Hills, California. He was married to actress Josette Banzet until she passed away in 2020.
Discography
- Sheila (1962)
- Everybody Likes Tommy Roe (1963)
- Something for Everybody (1964)
- Sweet Pea (1966)
- Phantasy (1967)
- It's Now Winter's Day (1967)
- Heather Honey (1969)
- Dizzy (1969)
- We Can Make Music (1970)
- Beginnings (1971)
- Energy (1976)
- Full Bloom (1977)
- Devil's Soul Pile (2012)
- Confectioner's (2017)
- From Here to Here (2023)
Legacy
- The Beatles recorded a version of "Sheila" in 1962. You can find it on their bootleg album Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962.
- The song "Sweet Pea" was used in the song "Lyte As A Rock" by American rapper MC Lyte in 1988.
- In 1991, the band The Wonder Stuff and Vic Reeves released their own version of "Dizzy," which became a number one hit in the UK.
See also
In Spanish: Tommy Roe para niños
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- The History of Rock & Roll
- Where the Action Is
- List of people from Georgia (U.S. state)
