Bobby Day

Bobby Day (July 1, 1928 - July 15, 1990), was an early African American rock and roll and R&B musician.

Born Robert James Byrd, Sr., (making him Bobby Byrd - not to be confused with the funk musician / Famous Flames member of the same name), in Fort Worth, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of fifteen. As a member of the R&B group, The Hollywood Flames, he used the stage name Bobby Day to perform and record. He went several years with minor musical success limited to the West Coast, including being the original «Bob» in the duo Bob & Earl. In 1957, Day formed his own band called the «Satellites» following which he authored three songs that are seen today as rock and roll classics.

Day’s best known songwriting efforts were «Over and Over» made popular by the Dave Clark Five in 1965 and «Little Bitty Pretty One» popularized by Thurston Harris in 1957, Clyde McPhatter in 1962 and the Jackson Five in 1972. However, Day is most remembered for his 1958 solo recording of the Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 hit, «Rockin’ Robin», a song covered by Michael Jackson in 1972, and by McFly in 2006.

Sometimes referred to as a one-hit wonder, despite numerous recordings with a variety of record companies, after «Rockin’ Robin» Bobby Day never achieved a Top 40 hit again.

Bobby Day died of cancer in 1990 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.