Shannon, Del

Shannon, Del

▪ American musician
original name  Charles Weedon Westover 
born Dec. 30, 1934, Coopersville, Mich., U.S.
died Feb. 8, 1990, Santa Clarita, Calif.

      American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was one of the first white rock and rollers to write his own songs. He is best known for the pop music classic “Runaway” (1961).

      After playing in bands as a teenager in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Shannon released his first single, “Runaway,” in 1961. Punctuated by his trademark falsetto cries, this ode to lost love (a common theme in Shannon's songs) topped the charts. A series of hits quickly followed: “Hats Off to Larry,” “So Long Baby,” “Hey! Little Girl” (all 1961), “Little Town Flirt” (1963), “Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)” (1964), and “Stranger in Town” (1965). All were marked by simple, ringing chord changes and Shannon's gravelly, vibrant baritone, always ready to ascend into higher registers of longing and hurt. Shannon also wrote “I Go to Pieces,” a 1965 hit for the British duo Peter and Gordon, and endured a misguided attempt by producer Snuff Garrett and arranger Leon Russell to make him into a teen idol. Between battles with alcoholism in the 1970s, he recorded with Electric Light Orchestra and Dave Edmunds. Drop Down and Get Me (1982), a strong album and a modest chart success, was produced by Tom Petty (Petty, Tom) and featured his band, the Heartbreakers.

      Following the death of Roy Orbison (Orbison, Roy) in 1988, it was rumoured that Shannon would be asked to replace Orbison in the Traveling Wilburys; however, Shannon—always something of a haunted figure—committed suicide in 1990. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

Christopher Walters
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Del Shannon — Surnom Charlie Johnson Nom Charles Weedon Westover Naissance 30 décembre 1934 Grand Rapids (Michigan), États Unis Décès 8 Février 1990, à 55 ans Santa Clarita (Californie) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Del Shannon — For Dell Shannon, the pen name of a police procedural novelist, see Elizabeth Linington. Del Shannon Del Shannon promo photo Background information Birth name Charles W …   Wikipedia

  • Del Shannon — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Charles Weedon Westover (30 de diciembre 1934, Coppersville Míchigan 8 de febrero1990, Sta. Clarita California), fue un cantante de Rock and Roll estadounidense. Con el nombre artístico de Del Shannon, colocó en las… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Shannon Moore — Nacimiento 27 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Del Shannon — (* 30. Dezember 1934 in Grand Rapids, Michigan; † 8. Februar 1990 in Santa Clarita, Kalifornien), bürgerlich Charles Weedon Westover, war ein US amerikanischer Schlagersänger, Komponist und Texter, der in den 1960er Jahren sowohl in den USA wie… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Shannon (Carolina del Norte) — Shannon Lugar designado por el censo de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • Shannon Stewart (ANTM) — Shannon Stewart Nacimiento 6 de junio de 1984 (26 años) Franklin, Ohio,  Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • Shannon City (Iowa) — Shannon City Ciudad de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • Shannon Hills (Arkansas) — Shannon Hills Ciudad de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • Shannon (Illinois) — Shannon Villa de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”