Bobs Have Disappeared From Music As Well As Baseball
It Was A Bob Who Helped This Crew Reach Stardom
No Bob Has Hit The Top Ten In Over A Decade
A writer has taken up the cause of the decline of people named Bob in the sport of baseball, and you could probably assume his first name. While it does have a short "o" sound surrounded by two consonants, the writer's name is not Bob.
Jon Bois is the man responsible for The Bob Emergency: A Study Of Athletes Named Bob, bemoaning the fact that there are very few current players known by that once ubiquitous name. Hall of Fame pitchers such as Gibson and Feller as well as sluggers like Bonds, Murcer, Clemente, and Alomar all shared some form of Robert.
The decline of Bob is evident in other areas, too, a reflection of its general decline in society. Consider the world of music, where not one of the current artists in the Top Forty bears that name.
Before the turn of the century, though, it was nearly impossible to not encounter a Bob on the record charts. Here are the most popular fifteen Bobs who have been associated with the music business. Not included are stars like Robert Plant, Robert Palmer, and Robbie Robertson, as I have chosen only the artists who use either Bob or Bobby.
1. Bob Dylan
The first songwriter to ever be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, Dylan has been the single most influential musical artist since his self-titled debut in 1960.
2. Bob Seger
Detroit, Michigan spawned several great musical acts in the Seventies, but none of them enjoyed the chart success he received through albums like Night Moves, Stranger In Town, and Live Bullet.
3. Bob Marley
Truly the reggae legend's influence is incalculable, as his legacy continues to live on long after his death.
4. Bob Crewe
One of the masterminds behind Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, he was the songwriter and producer most responsible for the excellent songs found on the soundtrack of The Jersey Boys.
5. Bobby Vee
His most well-known hits from the early Sixties included "Take Good Care Of My Baby", "Rubber Ball" and "The Night Has a thousand eyes."
6. Bobby Daren
Mack the Knife was the song character who was brought to eternal life by Daren, whose own life was taken while recovering from open heart surgery at just age 37.
7. Bobby Sherman
He appeared in musical sitcoms like The Monkees and The Partridge Family, which helped him launch a singing career highlighted by Top Ten hits such as "Julie Do You Love Me" and "Easy Come Easy Go."
8. Bob Welch
He preceded Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in Fleetwood Mac before scoring chart success on his own, mainly because of hits like "Ebony Eyes", "Sentimental Lady" and "Precious Love."
9. Bobby Vinton
Vintage tunes like "Sealed With a Kiss" and "Blue Velvet" immortalized the singer, whose father was a famous bandleader.
10. Bobby Goldsboro
"Honey" and "Summer (The First Time)" were great hits for Goldsboro, who began his musical career as a guitarist for Roy Orbison.
11. Bobby Fuller
He fought the law but, even though he lost that battle, he did gain his biggest hit from the experience.
12. Bob Geldof
Before finding fame as organizer of Live Aid or starring in the film The Wall, Geldof fronted the Boomtown Rats and wrote hits such as "I Don't Like Mondays" and "The Elephant's Graveyard."
13. Bobby Rydell
"Wild One" was the biggest hit for this singing idol, who was popular in the late Fifties and early Sixties.
14. Bobby Hart
Along with Tommy Boyce, he helped solidify the Monkees by composing hits such as "Last Train To Clarksville" as well as "Pleasant Valley Sunday."
15. Bob Wills
As the leader of the Texas Playboys, Wills was a huge influence on Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, thereby helping the development of what came to be known as the Bakersfield Sound.
