December 20th: Remembering Bobby Darin on the 50th Anniversary of His Passing

Bobby Darin passed away fifty years ago today.

I contacted Bobby's website, his estate and even the official keeper of his archives, inquiring as to what kind of special plans or announcements might be forthcoming on this sad but special day ...

But, despite multiple efforts, I got absolutely NO response from anybody regarding any new announcements.  (I keep hoping that more of Bobby's material might finally see release from the archives ... or another commemorative career-spanning box set might be in the works ... but apparently today is just another day in their eyes ... and that's a shame.)

Of course WE gave Bobby Darin the spotlight treatment several years ago in Forgotten Hits with our lengthy 2003 tribute which, at the time, got picked up by several Bobby Darin fan sites ... but even that was already twenty years ago ... I guess I was just expecting more.

http://forgottenhits.com/the_bobby_darin_story

Writing my original Bobby Darin piece was a bit of a challenge ...

 

I assigned myself the task of writing a piece on a well known musical icon that I knew virtually nothing about.

 

Sure, I knew the obvious hits ... but never dug any deeper into his catalog.  I wasn't even aware of his unique backstory ... so it was a revealing and rewarding experience.  Along the way, I listened to virtually everything Bobby had ever recorded and released ... and believe me, this was truly a case of the good, the bad and the ugly!  Still, I became quite a fan, especially won over by Bobby's constant drive to simply "be somebody."

People may not remember that one of the first controversies surrounding The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was the induction of Bobby Darin.  There was a wide range of critics and cynics who felt he didn't really belong.  Truth be told, I can see both sides of that argument ... even more so when one considers that Darin USED rock and roll as his stepping stone to finally making it on to the charts.  I don't think that even Bobby would have considered himself a fan ... but I think he had an appreciation for the impact it was having on its audience ... and Bobby was fortunate enough to get in on the ground floor ... and then take HIS audience into several new directions, whether it be the glitzy show-biz persona of his Vegas act or his deeply thought-provoking folk era.

One of the people who has become a very good friend of Forgotten Hits is Sam Tallerico.

Sam wrote a book several years ago when he discovered that he was Bobby Darin's son.  Bobby and Sam's mother evidently had a "thing" when Darin was passing thru Detroit several years ago ... and Sammy was the result.  Bobby never even knew.  But after years of diligent research and dna testing, Sam was able to conclusively prove his parentage.  Sadly, by then Bobby was gone ... and the two never had the chance to meet.

I turn the page over to him now for some of his thoughts about a man that he ALSO had to learn about thru his music after the fact.

Sammy's response when I first told him about my plans to run a special anniversary feature:

 

I'm responding to your request to share Bobby Darin memories. I wish I had some since the man was my father.

 

You already know my story, Kent. I was adopted as an infant and didn't do a birth family search until 2009, when opening my sealed adoption record revealed the name "Bobby Darin" as the man who got my birth mother pregnant. Although I collected a lot of corroborating evidence over the next few years, I didn't get DNA confirmation until 2018 when several online testing sites linked me to biological relatives of the performer. Imagine learning you're definitely the genetic offspring of a musical legend! Especially if you're someone obsessed with 60s/70s music like I am.

 

My discovery prompted me to learn all I can about my bio-dad. Like yourself, I was impressed by not only the depth, but the quality of his music in genres that transcend rock n roll and standards. The details of his personal life rival any soap opera. 

 

I offer myself as a resource for any Forgotten Hits readers wishing to know more about Bobby Darin. I also look forward to collaborating with you on a feature for the 50th anniversary of his passing, December 20, 2023.

Best,

Sam Tallerico

http://www.mixcloud.com/LAFoS

lostoldies@yahoo.com

 

And then this much deeper assessment ...

 

December 20, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of Bobby Darin's death at the tender age of 37. I admit I wasn't a huge fan of the singer growing up, often confusing him with the other Bobbys of the era -- Rydell, Vinton and Vee. Maybe that's because I rarely heard more than "The Core Four" on the radio -- "Splish Splash," "Mack the Knife," "Dream Lover" and "If I Were a Carpenter". 

What motivated me to dig deeper into Bobby Darin's catalog of over 25 studio albums released between "Bobby Darin" (ATCO, 1958) and "Bobby Darin" (Motown, 1972) was learning in 2009 that the man was my biological father. Pretty amazing, right? 

Adopted as an infant, I did a search for my birth parents and learned the incredible truth about my famous father at the age of 51, several years too late to meet the man whose genes I inherited. It should be noted that as of this writing, The Darin Estate has chosen to make no public statement about me, neither to confirming nor denying my parentage.

But while spending my time trying to make contact with Bobby's surviving relatives and securing DNA confirmation (which I got in 2018), I also immersed myself in checking out Darin's recorded performances, which included viewing his movies, clips of his television appearances, nightclub performances and, of course, listening to that wonderful music that we are so blessed to have at our disposal.

For the uninitiated, I suggest starting with the 4-CD compilation "As Long As I'm Singing."  The box set comes with a lovingly detailed booklet and spans the various genres that Bobby covered in his 14-year career. If you're like me, you'll probably find yourself seeking out albums of his sung in the style of music you like best. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Kent Kotal recently wrote in these pages: 

"I know, we seem to rehash this every year … but radio programmers STILL seem to be so closed minded when it comes to pushing the envelope just a little bit. ... And artists like Andy Williams, Jose Feliciano and The Ronettes recorded a few OTHER songs you might like … if you were only given the chance to hear them … rather than the same track being played over and over and over again until they’ve just beaten the life out of it and you end up switching the station."

I echo that sentiment, which is why I program my own radio show at http://www.mixcloud.com/LAFOS and would argue the case that at least 75 Bobby Darin songs (and probably more) would fit comfortably on one of Sirius XM's channels, especially Siriusly Sinatra, which will sometimes throw us a bone. Hell, Bobby has enough material to warrant his own channel, if only on a temporary basis, like they do from time to time.

And, keeping it current, on December 20, music fans can view a video of a song Bobby Darin wrote that was a Billboard Hot 100 hit for Tim Hardin in 1969 covered by The Memphis Music Project. Their version of "Simple Song Of Freedom" is billed as a "worldwide humanitarian effort ... to bring peace and love to the world."  You can find it here:  Simple Song Of Freedom (ssofmemphis.com) Priscilla Presley is even involved!

 

In addition, there has been a phenomenal amount of previously unreleased Bobby Darin video and audio suddenly cropping up in various places, including The Bobby Darin Fan Club on Facebook. Rumor has it there might even be some previously unseen concert footage from early in the singer's career that may finally see the light of day. 

And let's not forget YouTube, where just this week, an unreleased studio outtake was posted of Bobby singing "All Strung Out Over You" (a song I knew by the Chambers Brothers). For deeper dives into more obscure tracks, there's my own channel @sonofbobbydarin7730.

I hope that reading this has motivated you to reconnect with the wonder that is Bobby Darin on the 50th anniversary of his passing. And if you aren't familiar with much beyond his greatest hits, my hope is that you'll go "beyond the sea" to discover just how much you're missing.

Sam Tallerico

"Lost And Found Oldies Show"

 

 

Another Bobby Darin memory ... from Ed Salamon ...

 

Dick Clark and I were partners in The United Stations and Unistar Radio Networks for fifteen years beginning in 1981. I visited him many times at his Burbank office, which was crammed with memorabilia.

Dick was too diplomatic to publicly declare his favorite artist, but on one occasion I asked him what item meant the most to him . He handed me a letter handwritten to him by Bobby Darin on hotel stationery. The letter thanked Dick and gave him credit for his career. Dick and I then talked for a while about Bobby and speculated what he might have accomplished if he had lived longer.

Dick Clark helped so many artists find fame and took rock n’ roll itself to a mass audience and a letter from Bobby Darin was the most significant to him.

Ed Salamon

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

12/20/63 – The last Studebaker automobile is manufactured.  The plant will close after this vehicle comes off the line.