Bobby Goldsboro
b. 18 January 1941, Marianna, Florida, USA. Goldsboro first came to prominence as a guitarist in Roy Orbison's touring band in 1960. His major chart breakthrough as a solo singer occurred in 1964 with the self-penned US Top 10 hit See The Funny Little Clown. During the mid-60s, he also enjoyed minor US hits with such compositions as Whenever He Holds You, Little Things (a UK hit for Dave Berry), Voodoo Woman, It's Too Late and Blue Autumn. His international status was assured in 1968 with the elegiacal Honey, a Bobby Russell composition, perfectly suited to Goldsboro's urbane, but anguished vocal style. The song dominated the US number 1 position for five weeks and was arguably the unluckiest single never to reach number 1 in the UK, twice reaching the number 2 slot, in 1968 and 1975. Goldsboro enjoyed further hits in the early '70s, most notably Watching Scotty Grow and the risque Summer (The First Time). In an attempt to extend his appeal, Goldsboro subsequently turned to country music, and met with considerable success in the '80s.