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Del ShannonComposer, vocalist and guitarist
Date of Birth: 30.12.1939
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Del Shannon: From 'Runaway' to Rock Legend
- Early Life and Inspiration
- Military Service and Early Career
- Bigtop Records and 'Runaway'
- Berlee Records and 'The Further Adventures'
- Later Career and Personal Struggles
- Final Years and Legacy
- Del Shannon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
Del Shannon: From 'Runaway' to Rock Legend
Del Shannon, the songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist known for his contributions to rock and country rock, rose to prominence with his chart-topping hit "Runaway." While battling alcoholism and depression, Shannon's struggles ultimately led to his suicide.
Early Life and Inspiration
Born Charles Weedon Westover on December 30, 1934, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Del Shannon grew up in nearby Coopersville. He began playing ukulele and guitar, drawing inspiration from the likes of Hank Williams, Hank Snow, and Lefty Frizzell.
Military Service and Early Career
Drafted into the army in 1954, Shannon was stationed in Germany, where he played in a band called The Cool Flame. Upon returning to the United States, he briefly worked as a carpet salesman and a furniture truck driver. He performed occasionally with Doug Demott's group The Moonlight Ramblers at the Hi-Lo Club. When Demott was fired in 1958, Shannon took over and renamed the band The Big Little Show Band.
Bigtop Records and 'Runaway'
In 1959, keyboardist Max Crook joined the band with his invention, the Musitron. Crook persuaded disc jockey Ollie McLaughlin to listen to the band, and in July 1960, Shannon and Crook signed with Bigtop Records. It was during this time that the stage name "Del Shannon" was adopted; the surname derived from wrestler Mark Shannon, a frequenter of the Hi-Lo Club, and the first name from Shannon's beloved car, a Cadillac Coupe de Ville.
On January 21, 1961, Shannon recorded "Runaway," which was released in February and reached the top of the Billboard chart by April. Del's follow-up hits included "Hats Off to Larry," "So Long, Baby," and "Little Town Flirt." While unable to sustain his chart success in the United States, Shannon remained popular in England.
Berlee Records and 'The Further Adventures'
In 1963, Shannon became the first American artist to record a cover of the Beatles' "From Me to You." He established his own label, Berlee Records, named after his parents, and released two successful singles, "Sue's Gotta Be Mine" and "That's the Way Love Is." Shannon returned to the charts with "Handy Man," "Do You Wanna Dance?," "Keep Searchin'," and "Stranger in Town."
In 1966, he signed with Liberty Records, where he branched out into production work. Notably, he arranged the 1969 hit "Baby, It's You" for the band Smith. In 1970, Del produced Brian Hyland's cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Gypsy Woman."
In September 1967, Shannon began work on "The Further Adventures of Charles Westover," an album praised by fans and critics despite low sales. In October 1968, he released the single "Raindrops," a cover of Dee Clark's 1961 hit.
Later Career and Personal Struggles
Facing financial difficulties, Shannon signed with United Artists in 1972 and recorded "Live in England," released in June 1973. He moved to Island Records a few years later and, with his manager, founded Bug Music to promote his own songwriting.
A 1976 article covering Shannon's performance at the Roxy Theatre highlighted his personal qualities and his "refreshingly basic approach to rock 'n' roll at a commendably high level." Del played several of his new songs, along with classics including "Endless Sleep" and "The Big Hurt." The Los Angeles Times observed that "Shannon's haunting themes of restless anxiety and deep sorrow contain cosmic overtones, the dreamer in his songs forever struggling with the darkness and the shades."
Del's career slowed significantly in the 1970s, partly due to alcoholism. In 1974, Shannon produced the single "And the Music Plays On." He sobered up in 1978 and began work on Phil Phillips's "Sea of Love," featured on his album "Drop Down and Get Me."
The album took two years to complete. Initially released on RSO Records, which closed, "Drop Down and Get Me" was eventually distributed by Network Records. It featured a mix of originals and covers, including songs by the Everly Brothers and the Rolling Stones.
In 1986, Luis Cardenas, drummer for the band Renegade, made a video version of Shannon's "Runaway." The video used puppet animation featuring dinosaurs and included a cameo appearance by Del as a police officer.
Final Years and Legacy
In February 1982, Shannon performed at the Bottom Line in Manhattan, New York City, featuring both pop-rock material and his earlier hits. New York Times critic Stephen Holden described Del's style as "effortlessly natural pop-country."
Throughout the 1980s, Shannon played "serviceable but fairly prosaic country-rock." In 1988, he contributed vocals to the Smithereens' "The World We Know" on their album "Green Thoughts." He also collaborated in the studio with Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra two years later. They had worked together previously in 1975, recording tracks such as "In My Arms Again."
Struggling with depression and taking Prozac, Shannon committed suicide on February 8, 1990. He shot himself with a .22-caliber hunting rifle at his home in Santa Clarita, California. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered.
After his death, the supergroup Traveling Wilburys recorded a version of "Runaway" in his memory. Jeff Lynne also served as one of the producers of Shannon's album "Rock On," released on Silvertone Records in 1991.
