Bill Halley

Bill Halley (July 6th 1925 - February 9th 1981) is one of the first musicians American of Rock-and-roll. It is one of the pioneers of this movement with his group Bill Halley & His Comets and their song Rock Around the Clock.

Born under the name William John Clifton Halley with Highland Park suburbs from Strait in the Michigan, it grows in Pennsylvania (certain sources add Junior to its name but his/her older brother declared that it was an error). In 1946, Halley joined its first occupational class, the Down Homers . He leaves some titles country in the Années 1940 for labels, like Cowboy Records. In 1948 - 1949 it also works as itinerant musician and DJ. Into 1951 with its group The Saddlemen it changes style and records resumptions of Jackie Brenston like Rocket 88 and Rock this Joint (Jimmy Preston). The relative success of this last convinced Halley that it could perhaps have some success in the rock'n'roll. In 1952 The Saddlemen become Bill Halley and His Comets . In 1953, the recording of its song Crazy Man, Crazy becomes the first title of rock'n'roll to reach the American charts .

In 1953, a song entitled Rock around the clock was written for Bill Halley but it was not possible for him to before April 12th, 1954 record it. In the beginning, it is a commercial failure but Halley makes an international success of his resumption of Shake, Rattle and Roll which runs out to 1 million specimens. Halley and his group played an important role in the launching of the rock'n'roll near a broader audience, in particular the white after years during which this style was still marginal.

When Rock Around the Clock appears in 1955 on the original soundtrack of the film Graine of violence ( The Blackboard Jungle ), it is a true musical revolution which opens the door with Elvis Presley and well of others. During the Fifties, Halley continues to produce great successes like See You Later Alligator . He also appears in the first musical comedies rock'n'roll. Its notoriety was however quickly exceeded by tempting the Elvis Presley, but Halley remained a star uncontested in Latin America and Europe all along his career. Its last concert takes place in 1980 in South Africa. Bill Halley dies insane because of a brain tumor the February 9th 1981 with Harlingen.

Discography

Anecdote

In 1991, the singer and stimulating French Dorothée pays to him homage in her album " Snows of Himalaya" with its title " Mr Bill". In 1993 she will sing a new Rock title where she will again pay homage to him among Elvis, Chuck Berry and well of others in " All my life I sang of Rock' Roll" (album " 2394").

External bonds

http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/h/hale6200.htm: Rocking Country Style (1951-1964), Terry Gordon, Webmaster (Atlanta, A).
http://www.billhaley.com

Random links: