Bobby Hebb American soul singer, author of the song Sunny Date of Birth: 26.07.1938 Country: USA

Biography of Bobby Hebb

Bobby Hebb, an American soul singer and the author of the song "Sunny," was born in 1938 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He was the son of blind African American musicians William and Ovalla Hebb. Hebb's first public performance took place on his third birthday in 1941 when he appeared on stage with his brother Harold.

By the age of 9, Hebb was already performing in numerous nightclubs. Later, thanks to his participation in Owen Bradley's show, he secured a permanent position in the orchestra of legendary musician Roy Acuff. Starting with playing the spoons and later the trumpet, Hebb studied vocals and soon knew what success looked like. His first triumph came with his rendition of Roy Acuff's composition, "Night Train to Memphis."

In 1963, tragedy struck when Hebb's brother Harold became the victim of a brutal fight and was fatally stabbed in a Nashville club. This event, which occurred on November 23, 1963, the day after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, deeply affected Hebb. Unable to find another outlet for his grief, he turned to songwriting. It was during this period that he created his most famous song, "Sunny." This optimistic composition became Hebb's response to life's hardships and dark times. He himself claimed that he created his masterpiece a little later, after composing songs for Gerald Wilson's jazz album "Would You Believe." Nevertheless, Bobby Hebb managed to create a song in the 1960s that has been known by several generations of people worldwide and inspired improvisations by multiple musicians.

The popularity of the song "Sunny" is undeniable. It had a lucky start, with Hebb performing it as the opening act for "The Beatles" during their US tour. The single "Sunny" sold millions of copies. Other respected music figures of that period, such as Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett, Cher, and the group "Boney M," also covered the song. It was "Boney M" who brought the song out of America and made it a hit in Europe. In Russia, "Sunny" gained popularity mainly through this version. The song also received a boost from Nikita Mikhalkov's film "Rodnya," where the main character, played by Fyodor Stukov, sought refuge in "Sunny" from the adult world. After the film's release, Bobby Hebb's song became almost a "folk" song in the Soviet Union. Although the song achieved great popularity in Japan, where it was first recorded and recognized, even the American audience discovered "Sunny" only after the Japanese did.

There are countless instrumental versions of Bobby Hebb's hit. It is known that "Sunny" is an ode to a woman whose sunny smile can alleviate pain and drive away all troubles. In general, there are hundreds of officially released versions of "Sunny," making it undoubtedly one of the most covered compositions in the history of pop music. The song ranks 25th on the list of the "100 most popular hits of the 20th century." However, Hebb's other achievements were only significant on a national level, as none of his other compositions became global hits.

In the 1970s, Hebb took a "creative pause" that lasted for several decades. After that, it became difficult for him to break into the mainstream. However, new versions of "Sunny" continued to be in demand. In the 2000s, a biographical film about Bobby Hebb was made in Germany.

On August 3, 2010, Bobby Hebb passed away at the age of 72 from lung cancer. He died at Centennial Medical Center.