Freddy Cannon (born Frederick Anthony Picariello, December 4, 1939, Lynn, Massachusetts[1]) is an American rock and roll singer. He is best known for his transatlantic, million selling, Top 10 hit, "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans."Contents [hide] 1 Biography 2 Partial discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 Albums 3 See also 4 References 5 External links
[edit] Biography
He learned to play the guitar as a boy and in high school formed a band. It helped having parents who had more than a passing interest in music; his father played the trumpet, sang, and fronted local combos as Freddy Karmon, whilst his mother's penchant for amateur songwriting would hand him the genesis of his first hit.[2] Cannon soaked up the rhythm and blues of Big Joe Turner and the jump blues of bands like Buddy Johnson on the radio.[2] But it was the guitar music of Chuck Berry that made the most lasting impression. As Cannon once said, "Give me four of five guys who can play hard and in the pocket and to me, you've got a rock & roll show."[2] He joined with a group called the Spindrifts and cut his first record, a local almost hit called "Cha-Cha-Do."[2] Cannon then formed his first rock and roll band, Freddy Karmon & the Hurricanes, with himself on rhythm guitar.[2]
One day his mother instructed him to grab his guitar; she had written a poem that she wanted him to set to music. The poem was called "Rock and Roll Baby," which Cannon put to a stomping beat and three-chord rock and roll progression.[2] A demo found its way to Bob Crewe and his partner Frank Slay.[2] Slay and Crewe rewrote the tune's verses and to fill up the remaining holes in the record, Crewe got the singer to go "wooo" at every available opportunity, a vocal gimmick that would soon become a signature trademark.[2] "Tallahassee Lassie" was his first solo record, his first hit, and the first record under his new name: 'Freddy Cannon,' dubbed by Bernie Binnick, the president of his new record company, Swan Records.[2]
Singing vocals, he emulated the hard-driving style of singing star, Little Richard. Picariello signed with Swan Records in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a recording studio in which music promoter Dick Clark had an interest, and who brought him national exposure through numerous appearances on the television program, American Bandstand.
In 1959 and the early 1960s, singing under that stage name, Freddy Cannon, and dubbed "Boom Boom" because of his thundering musical renditions, he had three Top 10 hits. While signed with Swan, Cannon had such Top 10 hits as "Tallahassie Lassie" (#6, 1959), "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (#3, 1959), and "Palisades Park" (#3, 1962). All three records sold over one million copies, attaining gold disc status.[3] His records were masterminded by record producers Bob Crewe and Frank Slay.[2]
In March 1960 Cannon's album, The Explosive Freddy Cannon, gave him the distinction of being the first rock and roll singer to have a #1 album in the UK, beating Elvis Presley, who had been the more likely contender for that honour.[4] Cannon appeared in the film, Just for Fun made in the UK in 1962.[3]
In 1964, he signed a new recording contract with Warner Bros., which yielded such hits as "Action" (the theme song for television's Where The Action Is), "Abigail Beecher" , and "The Dedication Song". Cannon was later able to get complete ownership of both his Swan and Warner Bros. recordings. "Action" was Cannon's fourth million seller.[3] He appeared, along with The Beau Brummels, in Village of the Giants, a teen movie with early film appearances by Beau Bridges and Ron Howard.
He played himself, and performed one of his songs, in the final episode of the teen soap opera, Never Too Young, on 24 June 1966.
Freddy recorded a single with The Belmonts in 1981, entitled "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock and Roll", for MiaSound Records. The record charted for four weeks, peaking at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cannon and The Belmonts appeared on Solid Gold and other shows to promote the single. They were also featured in the soundtrack of the 1982 independent movie, The Junkman.
A resident of Tarzana, California, Cannon continues to put on performances at assorted concert venues.
[edit] Partial discography
[edit] Singles "Okefenokee" (1959) - U.S. #43 "Tallahassee Lassie" (1959) - U.S. #6, UK #17 "Chattanooga Shoeshine Boy" (1960) - U.S. #34 "Happy Shades of Blue" (1960) - U.S. #83 "Humdinger" (1960) - U.S. 59 "Jump Over" (1960) - U.S. #28 "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (1959) - U.S. #3, UK #3 "The Urge" (1960) - U.S. #60, UK #18 "California Here I Come" (1960) - UK #25 "Indiana" (1960) - UK #42 "Buzz-Buzz-A-Diddle-It" (1961) - U.S. #51 "For Me and My Gal" (1961) - U.S. #71 "Muskrat Ramble" (1961) - U.S. # 54, UK #32 "Transistor Sister" (1961) - U.S. #35 "If You Were a Rock and Roll Record" (1961) - U.S. #67 "Palisades Park" (1962) - U.S. #3, UK #20 "Teen Queen of the Week" (1962) - U.S. #92 "Twistin' All Night Long" (1962) - U.S. #68 "What's Gonna Happen When Summer's Done" (1962) - U.S. #45 "Everybody Monkey" (1963) - U.S. #52 "Patty Baby" (1963) - U.S. #65 "Abigail Beecher" (1964) - U.S. #16 "Action" (1965) - U.S. #13 "The Dedication Song" (1966) - U.S. #41 "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock & Roll" (1981) - U.S. #81
[5] [6]
[edit] Albums The Explosive Freddy Cannon (1960) - UK #1[5] Boom Boom Rock 'n' Roll: The Best Of Freddy Cannon[7]
[edit] See also List of rock and roll performers List of Italian American entertainers List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand List of guests appearing on The Midnight Special
