Bertie Higgins was born December 8, 1944 in Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA.
Birth name: Elbert Joseph "Bertie" Higgins.
Like his great-great-grandfather Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Bertie Higgins is a gifted poet, born storyteller, vocalist and musician.
Childhood Bertie Higgins
Joseph “Bertie” Higgins was born and raised in the picturesque Greek community of Tarpon Springs. The intellectual romantic Joseph from childhood was very artistic and at the same time a very independent child.
For his pocket money, he worked as a pearl diver, which is not such an unusual occupation for Florida. Surprised only by the age of the young diver.
For the first time on stage, 12-year-old Joseph appeared in the form of a "ventriloquist". He won the top prize at a local talent show and became a favorite at school parties and clubs.
But two years later he became interested in music and created his own school band, playing trendy rock and roll.
His lyrical songs, his rock and roll is love in a tropical paradise, as hot and romantic as the sky over Florida.
The hero of his songs is constantly trying to understand the meaning of life, to delve into secret thoughts, to unravel the mysterious essence of the woman he loves.
Songs filled with meaning - this is how you can characterize the lyrics written by Higgins. The band became popular, playing at school proms, parties and dances.
Youth of Bertie Higgins
After graduating from high school, Bertie went to college in St. Petersburg, studying journalism and fine arts, but music was in his heart. He dropped out and became the drummer in Tommy Rowe's band.
The group toured, the audience before the performance was "warmed up" by such artists as: The Rollings Stones, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison, Manfred Mann and others.
Solo career as an artist
Fatigue from long tours and the desire to make his own musical project led to the fact that Bertie left the group and returned home to Florida.
He put the drumsticks on the shelf, took the guitar and started creating music, lyrics. It was a time of considerable satisfaction and personal freedom.
Famous producers such as Bob Crew (The Four Seasons), Phil Gernhard (Lobo) and Felton Jarvis (Elvis) show interest in his songs. This contributed to the popularity of the author himself and the quality of his texts. Bertie became famous in America.
At the same time, he met Burt Reynolds (a popular actor and director), who saw in Higgins the potential of a screenwriter and became his mentor.
Atlanta
In 1980, Bertie moved to Atlanta and met Sonny Limbaugh, who was the producer for the country band Alabama and was instrumental in the careers of several other musical groups.
Limbaugh arranged a meeting between Bertie and music publisher Bill Lowry, whom Higgins had known from his days with Tommy Rowe's band. The meeting of this trinity was fateful, it had to happen.
Bertie was at this time working on a song about a personal failed romance. He showed the draft to Bill and Sonny. They helped him refine the lyrics, resulting in the romantic ballad Key Largo.
It's unbelievable, but the recording of this song was rejected several times by Kat Family Records, and only the perseverance of Bertie, Bill and Sonny helped to release the single in 1981.
World famous artist
Key Largo "blew up" the American charts, reaching the top of the charts in a short time. Taking the 8th position in the national hit parade, this song was popular all over the world. It was a huge success! Bertie was very popular.
The following singles also became hits, such as: Just Another Day in Paradise, Casablanca and Pirates and Poets. Casablanca was the winning song at the Asia-Pacific Song Festival (similar to the Eurovision Song Contest) and the album was certified platinum.
Bertie Higgins rose to international prominence overnight and has retained his star status to this day.
Currently,
For the past few years, Bertie has been touring around the world. All his concerts were sold out, received laudatory reviews from music critics.
His name is inscribed in gold letters in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and in the Music Hall of Fame in Georgia.
A consummate performer, songwriter and vocalist, he is also an accomplished screenwriter/novelist and actor. Bertie owns a successful restaurant in the Florida Keys and writes music and poetry.
He has created many television talk shows, variety shows around the world and, despite his venerable age, he continues to be invited to tour all over the world.
Higgins is a major supporter of several national charities - hospice, the VFW, the American Cancer Society, the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America are just a few of his most famous philanthropic projects.
He regularly performs and participates in charity concerts and takes this area of his life very seriously. An ongoing project in his home state of Florida is the conservation of endangered bird species, especially the brown pelican.
He has also been active in the preservation of Florida's rapidly deteriorating lighthouses. Contributed to the restoration of one of them near his hometown of Tarpon Springs.
This consummate singer-songwriter continues to write and sing about turquoise lagoons, golden sands and sunny islands in a style he affectionately calls "trope rock."
