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Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon, nan early stone & roller who scored big, joyful power hits with, among others, 1959’s “Tallahassee Lassie” and 1962’s “Palisades Park,” died yesterday, July 17, astatine a California hospice installation pursuing a little conflict pinch cancer. He was 89.
His decease was announced by Tom Cuddy, a longtime friend and iHeart Radio producer. Cuddy noted that Cannon’s children Conny Weber and Billy Cannon were pinch him successful nan days earlier his passing.
Cannon, who earned nan nickname “Boom Boom” from nan percussive powerfulness of his songs arsenic good arsenic nan double entendre of his past name, took a spot successful nan post-Elvis/pre-Beatles stone & rotation scenery done a drawstring of hits and, possibly much significantly, repeated appearances connected Dick Clark’s American Bandstand musical assortment series.
While Clark’s programme introduced Cannon to TV audiences – astatine first erstwhile nan show was produced locally successful Philadelphia and later erstwhile it went nationalist – nan singer-guitarist would besides look connected specified euphony programs of nan era arsenic Shindig, Hullabaloo, Where nan Action Is and, later, The Midnight Special.
“Freddy didn’t do ballads,” Cuddy said. “Dick Clark erstwhile told maine that each clip he hosted an oldies concert, he asked Freddy to unfastened it, because he knew Freddy would get nan assemblage connected their feet pinch up-tempo stone and roll.”
In summation to “Tallahassee Lassie” (cowritten pinch The Four Seasons’ Bob Crewe) and “Palisades Park,” nan second remembered for its salient usage of circus calliope sounds arsenic a recurring motif, Cannon’s different hits included “Way Down Yonder In New Orleans,” “Too Much Monkey Business,” “Action” (used arsenic nan taxable opus for Clark’s Where The Action Is series), “Transistor Sister” and “Abigail Beecher.”
Born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. connected December 4, 1936, successful Lynn, Massachusetts, Cannon lived successful nan authorities until his precocious teens, enjoying immoderate philharmonic occurrence successful nan Boston area earlier he and his woman Jeanette moved to Philadelphia astatine nan encouragement of TV big Clark, who had go alert of Cannon’s euphony done “Tallahassee Lassie.” Clark suggested Cannon re-edit and overdub nan signaling pinch nan stronger bass drums that would go Cannon’s trademark sound and nickname inspiration.
Cannon is thought to clasp nan grounds for appearing connected American Bandstand over nan years, pinch estimates putting nan number of his visits to complete 100.
His visibility and floor plan occurrence – he scored 3 Top 10 songs and 29 Top 100 – led to a instrumentality guidelines that would see specified early superstars arsenic Mick Jagger and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, who erstwhile told Cannon during a backstage sojourn that he and his Zeppelin bandmates loved “Tallahassee Lassie” truthful overmuch they recorded a blues type of it (if true, nan signaling has ne'er surfaced).
Jagger has said successful interviews that “Tallahassee Lassie” inspired nan Stones’ deed “Brown Sugar,” noting, “The groove is akin to Freddy’s song.” (The Stones recorded their ain screen of “Tallahassee Lassie” successful 1978, pinch nan opus surfacing arsenic a prize way connected nan band’s 2011 re-issue of Some Girls.)
Another instrumentality was a young Stephen King, who mentioned Cannon successful astatine slightest 4 of his books, astir notably successful nan time-travel caller 11/22/63, successful which “Palisades Park” features prominently.
Over a profession that spanned 70 years, Cannon, a longtime resident of Oxnard, California, performed connected bills pinch immoderate of nan apical philharmonic performers nan early stone & rotation era, including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Connie Francis and Brenda Lee.
Cannon was moving connected euphony astatine his location successful Oxnard correct up to his death, Cuddy notes. He presently has a Top 20 opus successful nan United Kingdom connected nan Heritage Charts pinch a number he recorded this twelvemonth called “All She Wants To Do Is Dance.” The opus is besides successful regular rotation connected nan Sirius XM 1960s channel.
Cannon’s songs person appeared successful specified films arsenic George Clooney’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and 2011’s X-Men: First Class. The MeTV scary big Svengoolie has featured Cannon’s euphony and precocious paid tribute to nan vocalist pinch an airing of 1965’s Village of nan Giants, which includes an acting capacity by Cannon.
According to Cuddy, Cannon was scheduled to do what would person been his last question and reply connected July 11 pinch longtime friend and NYC DJ Cousin Brucie Morrow, but was forced to cancel erstwhile he was hospitalized nan time prior.
Cannon published his autobiography Where nan Action Is (with Mark Bego) successful 2011.
In summation to his children Conny and Billy, Cannon is survived by sister Mary Lou, son-in-law Jim, daughter-in-law Beth, 5 grandchildren and 7 awesome grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his boy John, who died this past April 13, and woman Jeanette, who died successful 2024.
Daughter Weber said successful a statement, “We would for illustration to convey everyone for their emotion and support passim our dad’s life. He will beryllium remembered arsenic a stone and rotation icon. His euphony will unrecorded everlastingly successful our hearts.”
