Bobby Hebb
| Bobby Hebb | |
|---|---|
Bobby Hebb in 1966
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Von Hebb |
| Born |
July 26, 1938 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | August 3, 2010 (aged 72) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, performer |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1955‒2010 |
| Labels | Cadet, Crystal Ball, Epic, Laurie, Mercury, Philips, Scepter, Tuition |
Robert Von "Bobby" Hebb (July 26, 1938 ‒ August 3, 2010) was an American R&B/soul singer, musician, songwriter, recording artist, and performer known for his 1966 hit entitled "Sunny".
Hebb was born in Nashville, Tennessee. His parents, William and Ovalla Hebb, were both blind musicians. Hebb and older brother, Harold Hebb, performed as a song-and-dance team in Nashville beginning when Bobby was three and Harold was nine. Hebb performed on a TV show hosted by country music record producer Owen Bradley, which earned him a place with Grand Ole Opry star Roy Acuff. Hebb played Spoons and other instruments in Acuff's band. Harold later became a member of Johnny Bragg and the Marigolds. Bobby Hebb sang backup on Bo Diddley's "Diddley Daddy". Hebb played "West-coast-style" trumpet in a United States Navy jazz band, and replaced Mickey Baker in Mickey and Sylvia.
On November 23, 1963, the day after John F. Kennedy's assassination, Bobby Hebb's brother, Harold, was killed in a knife fight outside a Nashville nightclub. Hebb was devastated by both events and sought comfort in songwriting. Though many claim that the song he wrote after both tragedies was the optimistic "Sunny", Hebb himself stated otherwise. He immersed himself in the Gerald Wilson album, You Better Believe It!, for comfort.
"Sunny" was recorded in New York City after demos were made with the record producer Jerry Ross. Released as a single in 1966, "Sunny" reached No. 3 on the R&B charts, No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 12 in the United Kingdom. When Hebb toured with The Beatles in 1966 his "Sunny" was, at the time of the tour, ranked higher than any Beatles song then on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.BMI rated "Sunny" number 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century".
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