Bill Haley is a singer-songwriter, one of the first performers of incendiary rock and roll. Today, his name is associated with the musical Rock Around the Clock. The presented track, the musician recorded, together with the Comet team.
Childhood and youth
He was born in the small town of Highland Park (Michigan) in 1925. Hidden under the stage name is William John Clifton Haley.
Haley's childhood years coincided with the Great Depression, which then actively flourished in the United States of America. In search of a better life, the family was forced to move to Pennsylvania. He was lucky to be brought up in a creative family. Both parents worked as musicians. Music was often played in their house.
The boy imitated his parents. He cut out a guitar from cardboard paper and organized impromptu concerts for his father and mother, deftly fingering the paper. When the financial situation of the family improved, the parents gave their son a real instrument.
From that moment on, Haley does not let go of the guitar. When his father had free time, he worked with a young talent. Not a single school event took place without Bill's participation. Even then, the parents realized that the son would definitely follow in their footsteps.
In the 40s, he leaves his father's house, with a guitar in his hands. Haley quickly wanted to become independent. However, it should be given credit for the fact that he was completely unprepared for what life had prepared for him. At first, he works in the open air, sleeps in parks and, at best, takes food once a day.
This period of time is marked by participation in local groups. The young man grabbed every opportunity to earn extra money. Then it was very far from takeoff, but he did not give up and actively moved towards his goal.
The creative path of Bill Haley
While working in various bands, he constantly experimented with sound. In the future, this contributed to the fact that he developed his own manner of presenting musical materials.
When he worked as a DJ on the radio, he noticed that listeners showed a special interest in African American music. Then he mixes the motives and rhythms of both races in his work. This led the musician to create an original style.
In the early 50s, Bill joined the Comets. The guys started recording musical works in the actual genre of rock and roll. Music lovers especially appreciated the track Rock Around The Clock. The composition not only glorified the guys, but also made a real revolution in music.
The song became a hit, after showing the films "School Jungle". The presentation of the film took place in the mid-50s. The tape made a proper impression on the audience, and the track itself did not want to leave the American music charts for more than a year. By the way, the presented song is one of the best-selling compositions in the whole world.
Hailey has gained worldwide fame. There were no free zones at his concerts, the musician's records sold well, and he himself became a favorite of the public.
During this period of time, clips for the audience were not of particular value. They were interested in rock films. Haley followed the wishes of the fans, so his filmography was replenished with worthy works.
His popularity knew no bounds. However, with the advent of Elvis Presley on the stage, the personality of Haley was no longer so interested in music lovers. In the 70s, he practically did not appear on stage. Only in 1979 did he replenish his discography with a fresh LP.
Details of the artist's personal life
The personal life of the artist was as rich as the creative one. Three times he was officially married. Dorothy Crowe is the first official wife of a celebrity. The lovers legalized their relationship in the 46th year of the last century.
To this union two children were born. The couple's relationship began to deteriorate in the sixth year of life. Dorothy and Hailey came to a unanimous decision to divorce.
The man did not enjoy being alone for long. Soon he was ringed by the charming Barbara Joan Chupchak. For eight years of marriage, the woman gave birth to 5 children from the artist. A large family did not save the union from collapse. In 1960, he filed for divorce.
Marta Velasco - became the last wife of the musician. She gave birth to three children from Hayley. By the way, apart from illegitimate children, almost all of Bill's heirs followed in the footsteps of a brilliant father.
Interesting facts about Bill Haley
- In infancy, he underwent mastoid surgery. During the operation, the doctor accidentally damaged the optic nerve, depriving Bill of vision in his left eye.
- He starred in several films. He received a lot of proposals for filming in films, but he considered music to be his true purpose.
- His name is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- An asteroid is named after the artist.
- He drank a lot and called alcohol the best that mankind has come up with, apart from music.
The Last Years of Bill Haley
In the 70s, he confessed to his addiction to alcohol. He drank godlessly and could no longer control himself. The artist's wife insisted that he leave the house, because she could not see her husband in such a state.
In addition, he began to have mental problems. He behaved extremely inappropriately. Even when the artist did not drink, due to the disease, many thought that he was under the influence of alcoholic beverages. The artist was forced to seek treatment in a psychiatric clinic.
In the 80s, doctors discovered he had a brain tumor. He could no longer recognize anyone. During one of the concerts - Haley lost consciousness. He was taken to the clinic. The doctors said that it makes no sense to operate on the artist, but the artist died from another ailment.
He died on February 9, 1981. He died due to a heart attack. According to the will, his body was cremated.
