After he appeared at the Hollyhock, he sold 31 million records.
What a number, 31 Million Records Sold!
When one thinks of that number, it becomes all the more an incredible accomplishment. This is the over-the-top success that Tommy Roe has enjoyed with a music career that began in 1962.
Tommy was born in Atlanta, Ga., and still calls Atlanta home to this very day.
Tommy started to play and write music while in high school. After graduation, he went to work taking a factory job with Atlanta’s General Electric plant.
While still working at G.E., he met famed Nashville record producer, Felton Jarvis. Because of this new working partnership with Jarvis, his music career would change forever. Virtually all of Roe’s hits had Felton Jarvis involved with the recordings and writings.
In 1962 Roe and Jarvis wrote Roe’s first million seller, in the form of “Sheila/Save Your Kisses”(ABC Records 10329). Roe did this while still working at G.E. With a number-one seller, he felt he could leave his G.E. job. Roe put together his new backing group, the Roemans, and hit the road. It’s fun to note that playing in the Roemans was Bertie Higgins, of “Key Largo” fame, and the late Barry Oakley of the Allman Brothers Band and Rock & Roll Hall of fame inductee.
ABC Records could see they had a hot talent in Roe, so they were aggressive about getting him into the studio to see what could happen. This is what happened: “Everybody/Sorry I’m Late” (ABC 10478) 1963, “Sweat Pea/Much More Love” (ABC 10762) 1966, “Hooray For Hazel/Need Your Love” (ABC 10852) 1966, “Dizzy/The You I Need” (ABC 11164) 1969, “Jam Up & Jelly Tight/Moon Talk” (ABC 11247) 1969. You are looking at the bulk of thirty one million records sold. Impressive!
During his career, Tommy recorded for such labels as ABC Paramount, MGM Records, and Warner Brothers Records. He’s been inducted into the Georgia and the Rock-A-Billy Hall’s of Fame and the
Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
In the mid 70’s there was a re-awakening in the sounds of the 60’s by most Baby Boomers, so along with such artists as Bobby Vee, Del Shannon and Tommy Roe, the music scene was alive with hundreds of revival artists back making live appearances.
It was at this time, Tommy’s career was reborn with very little downtime since his last hit in 1969, to the new revival of 60’s and 70’s music.
The late David Hoffman and his Hoffman Artists out of Minneapolis was a big backer of Tommy and kept him working and touring. By this time, Hoffman Talent was the nations top agency for packaging 60’s artists and selling them around the nation.
Over Tommy’s career he has enjoyed six top 10 hits between 1962 to 1969, had four certified gold records, had 11 records reach Billboard’s Top Ten and another 23 reach Billboard’s Top 100.
It’s fun to know that Tommy came to Hatfield early in his career in January of 1964 backed by his band, the Roemans, to play at the legendary Hollyhock Ballroom. I hope you were there to see true rock and roll greatness taking flight at this show.
Until Next Month
Take Care & Remember The Music
Tom Tourville has been writing about Midwest rock & roll for close to 30 years and has published over 25 books based on Midwest rock music history. His latest book on the Hollyhock Ballroom is on sale in Pipestone at Pipestone Publishing and at the Pipestone County Museum. He lives in Lake Okoboji, Iowa, and can be reached at tourvillea@aol.com.
