You may not know the name Bobby Vee, but you almost certainly know his voice.
Vee won the hearts of American teens in the late ’50s and early ’60s with a string of hit songs that included “Rubber Ball,” “Come Back When You Grow Up,” and his best known single, “Take Good Care of My Baby.”
Released in 1961, the song was penned by a 19-year-old Carole King, and it’s a regular on movies, TV shows, commercials and oldies radio stations to this day:
Vee passed away this morning after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
While his most popular song was recorded 55 years ago, Vee continued to write and record music until the end of his life, even after being diagnosed with the illness that would eventually claim his life.
While he’s no longer a household name, Vee’s influence is evident all over the history of American rock music, and he enjoyed Zelig-like brushes with greatness throughout his life.
Vee got his start in music in the wake of the plane crash that killed legendary performers Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper.
The artists were en route to a Minnesota town near Vee’s home at the time of the crash, and rather than cancel the concert they were to perform at, the local radio station that sponsored the event put out a call for replacement performers.
Vee auditioned and wound up performing alongside legendary vocal group Dion and the Belmonts, and future country music icon Waylon Jennings.
From there, it didn’t take long for Vee to hit it big.
Within two years, the Beatles were covering his songs, and Vee was performing for thousands of screaming fans all over the country.
Early in his career, Vee hired a young pianist named Robert Zimmerman to play in his backup band.
Zimmerman would go on to enjoy a fair bit of success (and win a Nobel Prize) after adopting the stage name Bob Dylan.
Vee was in the crowd when Dylan paid tribute to him and sang one of his early songs at a concert in 2013.
Today, Vee is being mourned on social media by both fans and famous musicians who were influenced by his music.
Vee’s wife of 51 years, Karen Bergen, passed away last year.
The beloved singer songwriter is survived by four children.