Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight To Feature Bobby Helms

Join me at 11 am on Sunday, February 22nd for the Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight as we feature Bobby Helms. 

In 1956 Bobby Helms made his way to Nashville, where he signed a recording contract with Decca Records.  Helms first single in 1957 was Fraulein, which went to #1 on the country chart.  The song, written by Lawton Williams, stayed at that position for four weeks and stayed on the chart for a total of 52 weeks.

Kitty Wells recorded a response to the song called I'll Always be Your Fraulein in 1957.  It reached #10 on the country chart.  Later that same year, Bobby released My Special Angel, which also hit #1 on the country chart and entered the Top Ten on Billboard's pop music chart peaking at #7.

In late fall of 1957 his song, Jingle Bell Rock, was a big hit and was being played and danced to on Dick Clark's American Bandstand by mid December.  It also re-emerged in four out of the next five years and sold so well that it repeated each time as a top hit and became a Christmas classic still played to this day.  So it's safe to say 1957 was Helms' most successful year.

Bobby continued to tour and record for the next three decades.  He spent most of his later years living outside of Martinsville, Indiana, until his death from emphysema and asthma at age 63 in 1997.

Join me every Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm for more of your favorite country classics. Remember we always take your requests at 320-252-9897 or by emailing dick@98country.com.