Bobby Vee (1943–2016)
Bobby Vee, born Robert Thomas Velline in Fargo, North Dakota, was a beloved American teen idol and pop singer who rose to fame in the early 1960s with his smooth, youthful voice and clean-cut image.
Inspired by the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper (which occurred near his hometown), Vee formed a band called The Shadows and recorded a tribute demo that led to a Liberty Records contract.
His breakthrough came with “Devil or Angel” (1960, Top 10), followed by the No. 1 smash “Take Good Care of My Baby” (1961, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin). Other major hits included “Run to Him,” “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes” (No. 3, 1962), “Rubber Ball,” and “More Than I Can Say.” Vee had 38 Billboard Hot 100 entries, blending teen pop, ballads, and rock ‘n’ roll influences.
He toured extensively, appeared in films, and even helped a young Bob Dylan (performing under the name Elston Gunn) get early stage experience. After the British Invasion shifted trends, Vee transitioned to country and oldies revivals. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011, he retired from performing; he passed away on October 24, 2016, at age 73 from complications of the disease.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees and remembered for his wholesome charm, Vee’s hits remain staples of early 1960s American pop nostalgia.