Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Artists - A to K»Artists - D
    Artists - D Music - 1960s 4 Mins Read

    Del Shannon

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Del Shannon was born Charles Weedon Westover in Coopersville, Michigan, on 30 December 1934, and began singing during his Army service.

    Following his discharge, he moved to Battle Creek in Michigan where he held down a daytime job selling carpets while he worked at night in a nightclub, working under the name Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band.

    A local WGRV DJ heard Westover’s work and introduced him to industry contacts, resulting in a recording deal with Big Top Records.

    Now known as Del Shannon (the first name taken from the owner of the carpet store where he worked) he was shipped to New York to record – with disappointing results.

    delshannon_002

    Deciding he could do no worse, he worked with pianist Max Crook on some original material. Within three hours they had formulated the idea for Runaway (including the instrumental break played on a musitron – an early forerunner of the synth), and others including Jodie (its future flipside).

    Runaway was released as a single in America and sold a million copies on its way to the top of the charts in April 1961. Hats Off To Larry was issued in August 1961. A clone of the previous chart-topper, it soared to #5 in the US.

    Early in 1962, Hey! Little Girl became a #2 British hit after an abysmal American showing in the Top 40. This was followed by minor hit Cry Myself To Sleep, one of several tracks recorded in Nashville with backup support from The Jordanaires.

    This was a mere hiccup; when another track from those sessions was issued – Swiss Maid – it returned him to #2 in the UK (with a poorer showing in the American Top 70).

    Del Shannon’s first single of 1963 was Little Town Flirt which, once again, was a bigger hit in Britain (#4) than in America (#12).

    His second single of the year – Two Kinds of Teardrops – reached the UK Top Five, but only managed the Top 50 in his home country.

    Shannon toured Britain with Johnny Tillotson and Dusty Springfield, before supporting The Beatles at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

    It was at this time that Shannon told the Fab Four he intended to record a cover version of their song From Me To You.

    Despite objection from John Lennon, who realised Shannon could deny them an American hit, Shannon went ahead and recorded the song in London prior to returning to the States.

    His version was released simultaneously with The Beatles‘ original, holding off their American chart entry for six months. Hence, Del Shannon was the first artist to chart a Lennon/McCartney composition in America.

    delshannon_003The single was flipped for release in the UK where Two Silhouettes became the A-side and reached the Top 30.

    Shannon – who suffered from extreme mood swings all his life – admitted at this point in his career that he had a tough time coping with his success and his fear almost crippled him. He turned to alcohol.

    His career plodded on but by 1969 Shannon had all but given up and was concentrating instead on producing other artists like Brian Hyland. He returned to the studio during the late 70s/early 80s but with little success.

    He went on to earn a living performing on the lucrative nostalgia packages that toured Britain and America – but that wasn’t enough. Del Shannon was unable to accept the role he now played as a ‘golden oldie’.

    Shannon’s first wife, his high school sweetheart Shirley, walked out on him in 1984 after more than 30 years of marriage. Although he re-married, he never really recovered from the failure of his first marriage.

    At the height of his depression, he shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle at his Santa Clarita home in California on 8 February 1990. The 55-year-old was discovered by his wife, Bonnie.

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Kim Weston
      Kim Weston
      Kim Weston was born Agatha Natalie Weston on 30 December…
    • Charlie Rich
      Charlie Rich
      After being discharged from the air force in the mid-fifties,…
    • Maureen Evans
      Maureen Evans
      Born in Cardiff, Wales, on 23 March 1940, Maureen Evans…
    • Junior Walker & The Allstars
      Junior Walker & The Allstars
      Junior Walker was born Autrey de Walt Jr. in Blytheville,…
    • Johnny & The Hurricanes
      Johnny & The Hurricanes
      Although they scored four Top Thirty hits in their native…
    • Ricky Valance
      Ricky Valance
      Welshman Ricky Valance had a UK #1 chart-topper in September…
    • Blues Incorporated
      Blues Incorporated
      Blues Incorporated was formed in 1962 by Cyril Davies and…
    • Stevie Wonder
      Stevie Wonder
      Born in Saginaw, Michigan on 13 May 1950, Stevie Wonder…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleDel Amitri
    Next Article Demon Fuzz

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Overboard (1987)
      The golden age of the screwball comedy might have been the […]
    • Origami
      1 9 6 8 – 1 9 7 1 (UK) 32 x 15 minute episodes This […]
    • Protest Movement
      Protests in the 1960s can be divided into two main categories; […]
    • Six O’clock Rock
      1 9 5 9 – 1 9 6 2 (Australia) Australian rock & roll […]
    • Killing of Sister George, The (1968)
      Veteran director Robert Aldrich’s intense adaptation of Frank […]
    • Tobruk (1967)
      September 1942. A Canadian soldier named Major Donald Craig […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.