Bobby Goldsboro

For what seems like "all my life" I have heard the beautiful voice of Bobby Goldsboro singing "Honey" or "Watchin' Scotty Grow".

It wasn't until today that I actually took the time to get to know a bit about Bobby Goldsboro. I had never even seen a picture of him until today. That's the funny thing about all the songs and artists my generation grew up listening to as kids. We never knew what the artists looked like, nor do we particularly care. We didn't have MTV or VHI and we didn't buy songs based on what the guys looked like usually. Ok, well, sometimes we did. I can't really help it that Tiger Beat magazine made sure I knew what Donny Osmond looked like.

After doing a little online research at Bobby Goldsboro's official site, Wikipedia and some fan clubs, I compiled some stats to help introduce you to the Bobby Goldsboro I came to know today.

Bobby Goldsboro was born on January 18, 1941 in Marianna, Florida. When he was in his teens he and his family moved to Dothan, Alabama where he graduated from high school and later enrolled in Auburn University. He left college early to start his musical career.

He began his career in the early sixties as a guitarist with legendary singer Roy Orbison. During his 3 year career (1962-1964) with Orbison, he was able to travel all over the world and even had a chance to tour with The Beatles.

Bobby Goldsboro began his solo career in 1964 and went on to record a string top-40 hits. He had 11 top 40-hits on the pop charts and 12 on the country charts. His first was "See the Funny Little Clown".

In 1968, the largest selling record in the world was his classic, "Honey". He recorded it in one take.

In 1971, he was a passenger on a plane that was hijacked to Cuba. He said he was fed lunch in Havana and treated well.

From 1973-1975, Bobby had his own nationally syndicated television show, The Bobby Goldsboro Show. and was actually the highest rated variety show in syndication in the 70s.

He formed the House of Gold Music, a successful music publishing company in Nashville. He published such songs as "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Behind Closed Doors."

As a songwriter, he has received 27 B.M.I. awards and his songs have been recorded by such artists as Aretha Franklin, John Denver, Paul Anka, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Bette Midler.

Two of his songs, "With Pen in Hand" and "Autumn of My Life" are members of B.M.I.'s exclusive "Million-airs Club," which is for songs which have been played on the air over one million times!

In the 80s he began to devoting more time to writing and producing children's stories. His first, "Easter Egg Mornin'" premiered as an animated Easter special in 1991 on The Disney Channel. It has been The Disney Channel's top Easter special for over 10 years.

Bobby has 12 videos and 10 best-selling children's books on the market.

He wrote, orchestrated and performed the music for the best-selling audio books, William Peter Blatty's classic, "The Exorcist."

The CBS comedy, "Evening Shade", starring Burt Reynolds, premiered in 1993 with a new theme song, written and performed by Bobby. The six-time Grammy nominee was also the new musical director of the show, which starred his buddy, Burt Reynolds. Bobby composed new music for the series each week. He received a BMI Songwriter Award for this and the theme song was voted "Television's Best Theme Song".

In 1999, Bobby was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Bobby Goldsboro wrote the scripts, wrote and arranged all of the music, played all of the instruments, and did all of the character voices for a children's TV series called "The Swamp Critters of Lost Lagoon." This series is now seen on PBS, The Learning Channel, America One Network, Dish Network and Sky Angel. He has produced a live version of this show at Jazzland Theme Park in New Orleans, Silver Springs Attraction in Florida and the South Florida Fair.

He is also now known for his oil paintings. As a self-taught artist, he tours the country in his one-man art galleries. He and his wife regularly donate his paintings for fundraisers. The Gateway Bank of Central Florida purchased 40 of his collection that will decorate the 17,000 Tara-style bank.

One of his paintings, "The Gathering" was chosen for the cover of "Ocala, a Portrait of Life", a popular coffee table book.