Bob Montgomery (songwriter)

Bob Montgomery
Born(1937-05-12)May 12, 1937
Lampasas, Texas, US
DiedDecember 4, 2014(2014-12-04) (aged 78)
Lee's Summit, Missouri, US
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • publisher

Bob Montgomery (May 12, 1937 – December 4, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer and publisher.[1]

Biography

Montgomery was born in Lampasas, Texas, United States.[1] He was a songwriting partner and best friend of Buddy Holly, performing together as the duo "Buddy and Bob" while teenagers in high school.[1] Initially, they played a variety of bluegrass music, which evolved into rockabilly sounds.[2]

Montgomery met Holly at Hutchinson Junior High School in Lubbock, Texas, in 1949.[1] They started playing together at school assemblies and on local radio shows. Montgomery sang lead and Holly harmonized.[1] They soon had a weekly Sunday radio show on station KDAV.[3] On October 14, 1955, Bill Haley & His Comets played a concert at the Fair Park Auditorium, and Montgomery, Holly and bassist Larry Welborn were also on the bill.[2] Eddie Crandall, Marty Robbins' manager, spoke to KDAV station owner Pappy Dave Stone and told him he was interested in Holly as a solo performer.[1] Holly's career then began after demo recordings of his music were made and sent to Decca Records.[4]

Montgomery co-wrote some of Holly's songs, such as "Heartbeat", "Wishing", and "Love's Made a Fool of You".[1] He wrote the pop standard "Misty Blue"[1] and, for Patsy Cline, "Back in Baby's Arms". His son Kevin recorded a version of this, which appeared on his album True. Montgomery produced Bobby Goldsboro's 1968 number 1 hit "Honey" and his follow up 1973 number 9 UK hit, “Summer (The First Time)”.[1]

Montgomery died on December 4, 2014, in Lee's Summit, Missouri, of Parkinson's disease, at the age of 77.[5]

Discography

Singles

  • "Taste of the Blues" b/w "Because I Love You", Brunswick, 9-55157, November 1959.

Albums

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 296. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. ^ a b "Texas Music History Online – The Crickets". Center for Texas Music History, Texas State University-San Marcos. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Bob Montgomery and Buddy Holly". Fearnothingonline.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Buddy Holly Timeline: 1936 to 1956". Buddy Holly Center, City of Lubbock. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  5. ^ "Songwriter Bob Montgomery Dies Age 77". Abcnews.go.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved 2018-03-12.


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