Bob Montgomery (songwriter)
Bob Montgomery (May 12, 1937 – December 4, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer and publisher.[1]
Bob Montgomery
Biography[edit]
Montgomery was born in Lampasas, Texas, United States.[1] He was a songwriting partner and best friend of Buddy Holly, performing together as the duo "Buddy and Bob" while teenagers in high school.[1] Initially, they played a variety of bluegrass music, which evolved into rockabilly sounds.[2]
Montgomery met Holly at Hutchinson Junior High School in Lubbock, Texas, in 1949.[1] They started playing together at school assemblies and on local radio shows. Montgomery sang lead and Holly harmonized.[1] They soon had a weekly Sunday radio show on station KDAV.[3] On October 14, 1955, Bill Haley & His Comets played a concert at the Fair Park Auditorium, and Montgomery, Holly and bassist Larry Welborn were also on the bill.[2] Eddie Crandall, Marty Robbins' manager, spoke to KDAV station owner Pappy Dave Stone and told him he was interested in Holly as a solo performer.[1] Holly's career then began after demo recordings of his music were made and sent to Decca Records.[4]
Montgomery co-wrote some of Holly's songs, such as "Heartbeat", "Wishing", and "Love's Made a Fool of You".[1] He wrote the pop standard "Misty Blue"[1] and, for Patsy Cline, "Back in Baby's Arms". His son Kevin recorded a version of this, which appeared on his album True. Montgomery produced Bobby Goldsboro's 1968 number 1 hit "Honey" and his follow up 1973 number 9 UK hit, “Summer (The First Time)”.[1]
Montgomery died on December 4, 2014, in Lee's Summit, Missouri, of Parkinson's disease, at the age of 77.[5]