Bobby Hebb's 88th Birthday, a Tribute to the Man, and to his Sunny Disposition

  

Bobby Hebb, July 26, 1938!

Bobby Hebb and Marvin Gaye sing "Sunny"

https://youtu.be/EJUFu7FPyck?list=RDEJUFu7FPyck

Bobby Hebb Biography by Joe Viglione

Bobby Hebb made his stage debut on his third birthday, July 26, 1941, when tap dancer Harold "Hal" Hebb introduced his little brother to show business at the Bijou Theater. This was an appearance on The Jerry Jackson Revue of 1942, even though it was 1941,  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-hebb-mn0000075683

 

Bobby Hebb USA USA R&B, Contemporary R&B, Soul 1,248,512 monthly listeners 59.8K followers 4.8K fan

https://www.viberate.com/artist/bobby-hebb/ 

Human beings have a "law of attraction" to find someone to share their lives with, and to find songs that are the soundtracks to their lives.

In the autumn of 1995 I was in this club, and someone was at the piano as a listener, their mind in outer space just taking in the beautiful sounds of the piano player at the Napolean Club.  

Wanting to say "hi" it was impossible as the person just kept listening...so after thirty minutes I left and went to the Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox) area to play an "electronic pinball" as I call it, Ms. Pac Man.  Heading home ...well, like the 1942 classic film Casablanca  indicates: "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world... 

How can this person suddenly be in front of me on the sidewalk? at this particular club when there are dozens and dozens of clubs in Boston?   It was meant to be.

"You wouldn't look at me" I said.

"I didn't see you" was the response.

So I replied "Would you like a drink?"

And we spent the next 18 years of our lives together until the good Lord had other plans.

We are attracted to songs like we find people that we get along with.  After my friend passed I had to go to New York to see Bobby Hebb's daughter play at a Beatles show at the prestigious Apollo Theater in New York.  It was only January 10 to February 6th, less than a month, and I was in no shape to go anywhere but I was one of the publicists, for the show and for Bobby, and The Toys ("A Lover's Concerto") and the Cookies ("Chains") and Mary Lynn Love were among my contributions to the show.

NYCFab50 Celebrates The Music Of The Beatles - Twist & Shout Benefit

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 06: Kitoto Von Hebb performs NYCFab50 Celebrates The Music Of The Beatles - Twist & Shout Benefit at The Apollo Theater on February 6, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage) https://iicnewyork.esteri.it/en/gli_eventi/calendario/twist-shout-new-york-celebrates-the-beatles-2/

Goiing through the devastation of a passing, what my dad told me was "the most traumatic moment of your life" (my parents loved my partner) I had to get on a train and go to New York. And I tell you all this because songs are the soundtracks to our lives, with us in times good and bad.  This story could be anybody's story...

Bobby Hebb had toured with the Beatles on their final tour. An extended "Sunny" by Bobby's friend Barry Tashian and his Remains (a huge Boston band) were the back-up - Vern Miller on bass, my friend Billy Briggs on organ, N.D. Smart on drums...an exquisite rendition of "Sunny" at the Beatles shows that brought the house down as loud with applause as "Yesterday" by Paul McCartney got on the same stage. Two of the biggest songs in history for only $5.75!  

Let's get back to the law of attraction.  Bobby Hebb gave the world a gift in "Sunny", brightening up the days of people in Tokyo, Japan, Melbourne Australia, New York City, Africa, South America, the song was truly like the sun rising over hearts and minds instead of planets blowing up in Star Wars (truly, the Star Wars trilogy removed more people than the Godfather trilogy,) "Sunny" the song taking people's minds off of violence and hate while spreading Bobby's message of Peace and Love around the Globe way beyond the almost 7 decades since it was written in 1963 (by my account.)  

All the continents in the world know "Sunny" and as each new rendition arises in the world, it proves how positive and full of life Bobby still is as people take his good vibrations, chords, melody and remarkable lyric and bring it to life in Karaoke bars, onstage with their own bands, or solo, the "Sunny" outlook could, quite literally, save our world. 

https://soundcloud.com/lastsnooze/bobby-hebb-sunny-last-snooze-remix

What makes a great song?  I consider "Tumbling Dice" by the Rolling Stones the greatest rock and roll song of all time, a masterpiece.  My favorite album above Revolver and Rubber Soul and Sgt Pepper by the Beatles, and Exile by the Stones, to be Janis Joplin's Pearl.  As a rock critic, I have my reasons.   But who can touch "Sunny" for a positive attitude and turning the dark skies to light?

 Shoveling out the darkness, the Hermeticists

That phrase is a famous Hermetic maxim meaning you do not fight negativity directly, but instead overcome it by focusing on positive truth and awareness. It comes from the core teachings found in texts like The Kybalion. 

"Sunny" shovels out the darkness.  "If you're down and troubled, as Carole King sings.

Bobby Hebb at Johnny D's, photo by the late Flo Murdock   Flo wrote my name as guitarist, he sure looks like me, but it is not me.