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57-496: During the summer of 1955, Lytle, Ambrose and Richards, who were paid on a set salary (as opposed to the other two Comets, pianist Johnny Grande and steel guitar player Billy Williamson , who were considered partners with Haley), requested a pay raise. According to the books Bill Haley by John Swenson and Sound and Glory by John W. Haley and John von Hoelle, their request was denied by either Haley's management or by Haley himself (accounts vary). During that summer, unknown to Haley,

114-588: A heart attack " as being the cause. Following a small funeral service attended by 75 people, Haley was cremated in Brownsville, Texas . Haley received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6350 Hollywood Boulevard on February   8, 1960, for his contributions to the music industry. Haley was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. His son Pedro represented him at

171-458: A biography of Haley. His youngest daughter, Gina Haley , is a professional musician based in Texas . Scott Haley is an athlete. His youngest son Pedro is also a musician. He also had a daughter, Martha Maria, from his last marriage with Martha Velasco. Bill Haley Jr., Haley's second son and first with Joan Barbara "Cuppy" Haley-Hahn, publishes a regional business magazine. In 2011, he formed

228-604: A biopic based upon Haley's life, with Beau Bridges , Jeff Bridges and John Ritter all at one point being mentioned as actors in line to play Haley (according to Goldmine Magazine , Ritter attempted to buy the film rights to Sound and Glory ). Haley has been portrayed by: Before the formation of Bill Haley and the Saddlemen, which later became the Comets, Haley released several singles with other groups. Dates are approximate due to lack of documentation. As Bill Haley and

285-697: A country band, The Saddlemen. The sleeve notes conclude: "For six years Bill Haley was a musical director of Radio Station WPWA in Chester , Pennsylvania, and led his own band all through this period. It was then known as Bill Haley's Saddlemen, indicating their definite leaning toward the tough Western style. They continued playing in clubs as well as over the radio around Philadelphia , and in 1951 made their first recordings on Ed Wilson's Keystone Records in Philadelphia." The group subsequently signed with Dave Miller's Holiday Records and, on June 14, 1951,

342-492: A demo session in 1955 ("Flip, Flop and Fly", " Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie " (written by Bill Haley ) and "The Big Beat"). All but the latter were released in 1994; "The Big Beat" remains unreleased. In 1958, Lytle recorded "Hip Shakin' Baby", "Be My Love Tonight", "Honey Baby", and "Bring Along Your Lovin'" with Ricky Nelson's band as The Jodimars (Ambrose and Richards reportedly being unavailable) but these recordings also were not released until 1994. A Jodimars cover version of "Dim, Dim

399-697: A job with a popular group known as the 'Down Homers' while they were in Hartford , Connecticut . Soon after this he decided, as all successful people must decide at some time or another, to be his own boss again – and he has been that ever since." These notes fail to account for his early band, known as the Four Aces of Western Swing. During the 1940s Haley was considered one of the top cowboy yodelers in America as "Silver Yodeling Bill Haley". One source states that Haley started his career as "The Rambling Yodeler" in

456-490: A live version of "Rock Around the Clock" with Franny Beecher on lead guitar and Dick Richards on drums. The band made their second appearance on the show on Sunday, April 28, 1957, performing the songs " Rudy's Rock " and "Forty Cups of Coffee". Later on in 1957, Haley became the first major American rock singer to tour Europe. Haley continued to score hits throughout the 1950s such as " See You Later, Alligator " and he starred in

513-422: A medication to stop the overproduction, but said Haley would have to stop drinking. Martha said, "This is pointless." She took him home, however, fed him and gave him his first dose. As soon as he felt better, he went back out to his room in the pool house, and the downward spiral continued until his death. Media reports immediately following his death indicated that Haley displayed deranged and erratic behavior in

570-641: A result of the effects of the Great Depression on the Detroit area, his father moved the family to Bethel Township, Pennsylvania , when Bill was seven years old. Haley's father William Albert Haley (1900–1956) was from Kentucky and played the banjo and mandolin , and his mother, Maude Green (1895–1955), who was originally from Ulverston in Lancashire , England , was a technically accomplished keyboardist with classical training. Haley told

627-461: A series of concerts in conjunction with a simultaneous reunion of the original members of Bill Haley's Comets. In 1989, Johnny Hale brought the original Comets to the UK as part of his Brean Sands Rock 'n' Roll Weekender. The Jodimars (Joey, Dick and Marshall) were backed by three members of the UK group The Stargazers (Pete Davenport on lead guitar, Chris Gardner on piano, and Ricky Lee Brawn on drums) in

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684-538: A set which included their album in its entirety (12 songs) plus a few other later Jodimars' numbers, and was followed by a set as 'The Original Comets'. This remains the only billed appearance by the Jodimars since the 1960s. Lytle, Ambrose and Richards went on to tour the world as the Comets alongside pianist Johnny Grande and guitarist Franny Beecher , but included Jodimars songs in each show (most notably "Eat Your Heart Out, Annie" and "Well Now Dig This"). Lytle left

741-424: A tribute band, performing his father's music and telling the stories behind the songs. Haley failed to achieve the level of success enjoyed by contemporaries such as Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis . According to one source, "he had conflicted feelings about fame, was extremely private, suffered chronic alcoholism, and troubled relationships". Having admitted to an alcohol problem in a 1974 radio interview for

798-765: The BBC , Haley continued to battle alcoholism into the 1970s. Nonetheless, he and his band continued to be a popular touring act, benefiting from a 1950s nostalgia movement that began in the late 1960s and the signing of a lucrative record deal with the European Sonet label. After performing for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance on November 26, 1979, Haley made his final performances in South Africa in May and June 1980. Just before

855-501: The Labor Day weekend of 1952, the Saddlemen, realizing that their musical style was moving away from country and western decided to change their name to The Comets. Although primarily a piano player, Grande performed on accordion during most live shows as it was easier to transport than a piano, plus the hand-held instrument allowed him to participate more directly in the band's acrobatic instrumentals, such as "Rudy's Rock". Grande

912-547: The UK Singles Chart in December 1954, becoming a gold record. He retained elements of the original (which was slow blues), but sped it up with some country music aspects into the song (specifically, Western swing) and changed up the lyrics. Haley and his band were important in launching the music known as "Rock and Roll" to a wider audience after a period of it being considered an underground genre. When "Rock Around

969-481: The 1955 and 1958 demo recordings. Johnny Grande John Andrew Grande (January 14, 1930 – June 3, 2006) was a member of Bill Haley 's backing band, The Comets . Born in South Philadelphia , Grande played piano and accordion with Bill Haley and the Saddlemen, later known as Bill Haley & His Comets, from 1949 to 1962-63. One of his jobs was to keep track of musical arrangements for

1026-472: The American charts, peaking at number 12 on Billboard and number 11 on Cash Box . Some sources indicate that this was the first rock and roll record in history, although rockabilly might be a more appropriate term. By the time this record was released, the group's name had been revised to using the term "Comets" instead of "Saddlemen". In 1954, Haley recorded " Rock Around the Clock ". Initially, it

1083-601: The Boogie ", " Two Hound Dogs ", " Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie ", " Hot Dog Buddy Buddy ", " R-O-C-K ", " Rudy's Rock ", "Calling All Comets", "Tonight's the Night", "Hook, Line and Sinker", "Sway with Me", "Paper Boy (On Main Street U.S.A.)", " Skinny Minnie ", "B.B. Betty", "Eloise", "Whoa Mabel!", "Vive le Rock and Roll", "I've Got News For You", "So Right Tonight", "Jamaica D.J.", "Ana Maria", "Yucatán Twist", "Football Rock and Roll", "Let

1140-551: The Clock" appeared as the theme song of the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle starring Glenn Ford , it soared to the top of the American Billboard chart for eight weeks. The single is commonly used as a convenient line of demarcation between the "rock era" and the music industry that preceded it. Billboard separated its statistical tabulations into 1890–1954 and 1955–present. After the record rose to number one, Haley became widely popular by those who had come to embrace

1197-484: The Comets in 2009, following the death of Grande in 2006 and Beecher's retirement from touring also in 2006 (Beecher died in February 2014), and continued to perform as a solo act until his death in May 2013, though he, Ambrose and Richards reunited in 2012 to accept the Comets' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Marshall Lytle died on May 25,2013 at the age of 89, but Ambrose and Richards continued to tour as

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1254-761: The Comets. Richards died on July 12, 2019, at the age of 95. Joey Ambrose subsequently retired from touring and died in 2021. In 1963, the Beatles recorded a version of the Jodimars' "Clarabella" for the Pop Go the Beatles program for BBC Radio , which appeared on the Apple/Parlophone/Capitol album Live at the BBC in 1994, while the song "Well Now, Dig This" inspired the name of the British music magazine, Now Dig This . Additional recordings exist from

1311-709: The Four Aces of Western Swing : 1948 1949 As Johnny Clifton and His String Band : 1950 Many Haley discographies list two 1946 recordings by the Down Homers released on the Vogue Records label as featuring Haley. Haley historian Chris Gardner, as well as surviving members of the group, have confirmed that the two singles: "Out Where the West Winds Blow"/"Who's Gonna Kiss You When I'm Gone" (Vogue R736) and "Boogie Woogie Yodel"/"Baby I Found Out All About You" (Vogue R786) do not feature Haley. However,

1368-493: The Good Times Roll Again" in 1979, and "Chick Safari" in 1960. He also wrote or co-wrote songs for other artists such as "I've Got News for You" for Penny Smith in 1955 on Kahill, "Calypso Rock" for Dave Day and The Red Coats on Kapp in 1956, "Half Your Heart" with Robert J. Hayes for Kitty Nation in 1956 on Wing, "I Oughta" and "Everything But You" for Dotti Malone in 1956 also on Wing, "A.B.C. Rock" and "Rocky

1425-553: The Ladies" and "Butterfly Love" for Ginger Shannon and Johnny Montana in 1960 on Arcade as well as "I'm Shook" and "Broke Down Baby", both of which were recorded by The Tyrones in 1958–59. In 1982, Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame , a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings at least 25 years old and with "qualitative or historical significance". In December 2017, Haley

1482-656: The Lights" (which was also a hit for Haley and the Comets) is also known to exist but has never been released. Two compilation albums of Jodimars recordings exist: Well Now Dig This , first released in 1970 then reissued in 1979, and finally in 1989 as a CD release by the Bulldog Records label (France), and Let's All Rock Together on the Rockstar Records label (UK) in 1994, which included the first release of

1539-556: The Rockin' Rabbit" (among others) for Sally Starr for an album she released on Haley's own label, Clymax Records, "A Sweet Bunch of Roses" for Country and Western singer Lou Graham, "Toodle-Oo-Bamboo" for Ray Coleman and His Skyrockets on Skyrocket Records in 1959, "Always Together" for the Cook Brothers on Arcade in 1960, "Crazy Street" for The Matys Brothers on Coral Records , "The Cat" for Cappy Bianco, and "(Ya Gotta) Sing For

1596-689: The Saddlemen recorded a cover of the Delta Cats " Rocket 88 ". During the Labor Day weekend in 1952, the Saddlemen were renamed Bill Haley with Haley's Comets . The name was inspired by the supposedly official pronunciation of Halley's Comet and was suggested by Bob Johnson, program director at radio station WPWA where Bill Haley had a live radio program from 12:00   noon to 1:00   p.m. In 1953, Haley's recording of " Crazy Man, Crazy " (co-written by Haley and his bass player, Marshall Lytle , although Lytle would not receive credit until 2001) hit

1653-529: The South African tour commenced, Haley was diagnosed with a brain tumor , and a planned tour of Germany in the autumn of 1980 was subsequently cancelled. Despite his illness, Haley started compiling notes for possible use as a basis for either a biographical film based on his life, or a published autobiography (accounts differ), and there were plans for him to record an album in Memphis, Tennessee , when

1710-485: The band scored a few minor hits such as "Well Now, Dig This" and "Let's All Rock Together". In 1956, the Jodimars became one of the first rock and roll acts to take up residence in Las Vegas showrooms. Soon after, they left Capitol and recorded for smaller labels with no success. By 1958, the band had virtually broken up, though Lytle attempted to revive the group with a series of demo recordings later that year, though he

1767-483: The brain tumor began affecting his behavior and he returned to his home in Harlingen, Texas . The October 25, 1980, issue of German tabloid Bild reported that Haley had a brain tumor. Haley's British manager, Patrick Malynn, was quoted as saying that "Haley had taken a fit [and] didn't recognize anyone anymore." In addition, a doctor who examined Haley said that the tumor was inoperable. Haley's widow Martha, who

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1824-473: The ceremony. The Comets were separately inducted into the Hall of Fame as a group in 2012, after a rule change allowed the induction of backing groups. Songwriters Tom Russell and Dave Alvin addressed Haley's demise in musical terms with "Haley's Comet" on Alvin's 1991 album Blue Blvd. Dwight Yoakam sang backup on the tribute. Surviving members of the 1954–55 contingent of Haley's Comets reunited in

1881-742: The drummer of the Comets, died at the age of 95. As of 2014, at least two other groups continue to perform in North America under the Comets name. In March 2007, the Original Comets opened the Bill Haley Museum in Munich, Germany. On October 27, 2007, ex-Comets guitar player Bill Turner opened the Bill Haley Museum for the public. In February 2006, the International Astronomical Union announced

1938-399: The final weeks of his life. According to a biography of Haley by John Swenson, released in 1982, Haley made a succession of bizarre, mostly monologue late-night phone calls to friends and relatives toward the end of his life in which he was semi-coherent. His first wife has been quoted as saying, "He would call you and ramble, dwelling on the past..." The biography also describes Haley painting

1995-617: The first rock and roll musical films Rock Around the Clock and Don't Knock the Rock , both in 1956. Haley was already 30 years old, and his popularity was soon eclipsed in the United States by the younger Elvis Presley , but continued to enjoy great popularity in Latin America, Europe, and Australia during the 1960s. Bill Haley and the Comets appeared on American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark on ABC twice in 1957, on

2052-439: The group as he was one of the few members who could read sheet music. Grande and steel guitarist Billy Williamson were both members of the country band, Southern Swingsters before convincing Bill Haley to start a new group, the Saddlemen in 1949. Grande was one of the original business partners who formed the Saddlemen (the other partners being Bill Haley himself (d. 1981) and steel guitarist Billy Williamson (d. 1995)). During

2109-477: The guitar solo on the record. Bill Haley and the Comets performed "Rock Around the Clock" on the Texaco Star Theater hosted by Milton Berle on May 31, 1955, on NBC in an a cappella and lip-synched version. Berle predicted that the song would go number one: "A group of entertainers who are going right to the top." Berle also sang and danced to the song which was performed by the entire cast of

2166-402: The hard road to fame and fortune. The next few years, continuing this story in a fairy-tale manner, were hard and poverty-stricken, but crammed full of useful experience. Apart from learning how to exist on one meal a day and other artistic exercises, he worked at an open-air park show, sang and yodelled with any band that would have him, and worked with a traveling medicine show. Eventually he got

2223-699: The late 1980s and continued to perform for many years around the world. They released a concert DVD in 2004 on Hydra Records, played the Viper Room in West Hollywood in 2005, and performed at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater in Branson, Missouri , beginning in 2006–07. As of 2014, only two members of this particular contingent were still alive (Joey Ambrose and Dick Richards), but they continued to perform in Branson and Europe. In 2019, Dick Richards,

2280-421: The naming of asteroid 79896 Billhaley to mark the 25th anniversary of Haley's death. Unlike his contemporaries, Haley has rarely been portrayed on screen. Following the success of The Buddy Holly Story in 1978, Haley expressed interest in having his life story committed to film, but this never came to fruition. In the 1980s and early 1990s, numerous media reports emerged stating that plans were underway to do

2337-413: The new style of music. With the song's success, the age of rock music began overnight and ended the dominance of the jazz and pop standards performed by Frank Sinatra , Jo Stafford , Perry Como , Bing Crosby , Eddie Fisher , and Patti Page . "Rock Around the Clock" was also the first record to sell over one million copies in both Britain and Germany . Danny Cedrone, not a member of The Comets, played

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2394-507: The prime time show October 28, 1957, and on the regular daytime show on November 27, 1957. The band also appeared on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show , also known as The Dick Clark Show , a primetime TV series from New York on March 22, 1958, during the first season and on February 20, 1960, performing "Rock Around the Clock", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", and "Tamiami". Haley was married three times: Haley had at least ten children. John W. Haley, his eldest son, wrote Sound and Glory ,

2451-447: The same time, Haley's alcoholism appeared to be worsening. According to Martha, by this time, she and Haley fought all the time and she told him to stop drinking or move out. Eventually, he moved into a room in their pool house. Martha still took care of him and sometimes, he would come in the house to eat, but he ate very little. "There were days we never saw him," said his daughter Martha Maria. In addition to Haley's drinking problems, it

2508-636: The show. This was one of the earliest nationally televised performances by a rock and roll band and provided the new musical genre with a much wider audience. Bill Haley and the Comets were the first rock and roll act to appear on American musical variety series the Ed Sullivan Show on August 7, 1955, on CBS in a broadcast that originated from the Shakespeare Festival Theater in Stratford, Connecticut . They performed

2565-484: The story that when he made a simulated guitar out of cardboard, his parents bought him a real one. One of his first appearances was in 1938 for a Bethel Junior baseball team entertainment event, performing guitar and songs when he was 13 years old. The anonymous sleeve notes accompanying the 1956 Decca album Rock Around the Clock describe Haley's early life and career: "When Bill Haley was fifteen [c. 1940] he left home with his guitar and very little else and set out on

2622-622: The tracks were nonetheless included in the compilation box set Rock 'n' Roll Arrives released by Bear Family Records in 2006. Haley's compositions included "Four Leaf Clover Blues" in 1948, "Rose of My Heart", "Yodel Your Blues Away", " Crazy Man, Crazy ", "What'Cha Gonna Do", " Fractured ", " Live It Up ", "Farewell, So Long, Goodbye", " Real Rock Drive ", "Rocking Chair on the Moon", "Sundown Boogie", "Green Tree Boogie", "Tearstains on My Heart", "Down Deep in My Heart", "Straight Jacket", " Birth of

2679-418: The trio recruited a couple of other musicians, and recorded a few demo tapes - including a version of a Haley composition, "Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie". This won the group a recording contract with Capitol Records and the group subsequently resigned from the Comets, although according to Swenson they agreed to help train the replacement musicians. The group's first recordings on Capitol came out in late 1955, and

2736-471: The windows of his home black, but there is little other information available about his final days. Haley died at his home in Harlingen on February   9, 1981, aged 55. He was discovered lying motionless on his bed by a friend who had stopped by to visit him. The friend immediately called the police and Haley was pronounced dead at the scene. Haley's death certificate gave "natural causes, most likely

2793-482: The world, perform and record with the group for the next twenty years. In the spring of 2006 the onset of ill health forced Grande to temporarily take a hiatus from the Comets, who at the time were engaged in a long-term gig at Dick Clark 's American Bandstand Theater in Branson, Missouri . He died in his sleep in Clarksville, Tennessee of cancer-related causes a few weeks later, on June 3, 2006. In 2012, he

2850-409: Was an American rock and roll musician. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and million-selling hits such as " Rock Around the Clock ", " See You Later, Alligator ", " Shake, Rattle and Roll ", " Rocket 88 ", " Skinny Minnie ", and "Razzle Dazzle". Haley has sold over 60 million records worldwide. In 1987, he

2907-428: Was becoming evident that he was also developing serious mental health issues. Martha Maria said, "It was like sometimes he was drunk even when he wasn't drinking." After being picked up by the police in Harlingen several times for alleged intoxication, Martha had a judge put Haley in the hospital, where he was seen by a psychiatrist, who said Haley's brain was overproducing a chemical, like adrenaline. The doctor prescribed

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2964-541: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Comets by a special committee aimed at correcting the mistake of not inducting the group with Bill Haley in 1987. His compositions included " Birth Of The Boogie ", "A Rockin' Little Tune", "Goofin' Around" with Franny Beecher, "Lean Jean", "Better Believe It", "China Twist", "Happy Twist", "Twist del Dia", "Tampico Twist", and "Two Shadows". Bill Haley (musician) William John Clifton Haley ( / ˈ h eɪ l i / ; July 6, 1925 – February 9, 1981)

3021-432: Was one of the musicians involved in the classic 1954 recording of " Rock Around the Clock ". He also appeared with the band in most of their motion picture appearances, including Rock Around the Clock and Don't Knock the Rock . He left the group in either late 1962 or early 1963 (accounts differ), following a tour of Germany. In 1987, he reunited with several other members of the 1954-55 Comets and he continued to tour

3078-478: Was only a moderate success, peaking at number 36 on the Cash Box pop singles chart and staying on the charts for just two weeks. On re-release, the record reached number one on July 9, 1955. Haley had already had a worldwide hit with " Shake, Rattle and Roll ", another rhythm and blues cover in this case from Big Joe Turner , which went on to sell a million copies and was the first rock 'n' roll song to enter

3135-538: Was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Haley was born July 6, 1925, in Highland Park , Michigan . In 1929, the four-year-old Haley underwent an inner-ear mastoid operation which accidentally severed an optic nerve, leaving him blind in his left eye for the rest of his life. It is said that he adopted his trademark kiss curl over his right eye to draw attention from his left, but it also became his "gimmick", and added to his popularity. As

3192-469: Was the only member of the core band to actually take part in the recordings (members of Ricky Nelson 's band worked on the recording session instead) and they sat unreleased until 1994. By the 1960s, the Jodimars were only a memory, with Lytle going into real estate , Ambrose becoming a casino pit boss in Las Vegas, and Boccelli/Richards becoming a stage and movie actor. In 1987, the band reunited for

3249-418: Was with him in these troubling times, denied he had a brain tumor, as did his close friend Hugh McCallum. Martha and friends related that Haley did not want to go on the road anymore and that ticket sales for that planned tour of Germany in the fall of 1980 were slow. McCallum said, "It's my unproven gut feeling that that [the brain tumor] was said to curtail talks about the tour and play the sympathy card." At

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