Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon

Freddy Cannon's album cover

I have a friend in Dallas. Since the day we were introduced I have called her the "Tallahassee Lassie".  The first time I called her that I didn't know what to expect. She was a potential client in a very big organization. We chatted a bit and out of curiosity I asked her hometown. (nobody is really "from" Dallas) When she said Tallahassee I responded by calling her a "Tallahassee Lassie". She  warmed immediately and became a client of many years. I guess I can thank Freddy Cannon for helping me make a friend.

Freddy Cannon

Freddy Cannon had three big, big hits. Two were in 59 and the last was in 62. But he was no one or three hit wonder. Over a period of 21 years he had 22 songs in the Top 100. He appeared on American Bandstand more times than any other artist with 110 appearances. 

Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon

In listening to his music today I can guess what made those three records memorable. He had excellent early electric guitars, he had a big frantic bass drum, he kept a "dancing" beat, he shouted in the breaks to add excitement, and he used horns for variety. That's just my opinion. Listen and see what you think.


From 59 to 62, I thought Freddy Cannon was from Florida or New Orleans. I knew he had to be from the south because he sang about the girls from our region. Then, in 62, Palisades Park came out and we started asking where is this place. New "Freaking" Jersey, what the heck ? Then a disc jockey or somebody let it slip he wasn't a southern rocker he was a "Yankee", poor thing. Oh well, at least he could sing and play like a our boys. We excused it and continued to claim him as one of our own.




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Freddy Cannon never made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But what he did was give us a preview of the soon to be "wall of sound". Freddy was ahead of the curve in a lot of ways. In my opinion helped shape rock and roll toward the doo-wop sound we would hear until the British Invasion of 64. 


You can't have a ladder without the rungs. Freddie was a great rung.

Freddy Cannon

You've made it into the Fan's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Mr. Boom Boom.  Thanks for being who you were. The fans enjoyed your music.




jbb