Bobby Sheen (May 17, 1941 – November 23, 2000) was an American rhythm and blues singer. Though he made a handful of records under his given name, singer Bobby Sheen was far better known to audiences as Bob B. Soxx, the nominal leader of the Blue Jeans, themselves a studio creation of the legendary pop producer and svengali Phil Spector.
Born Robert Joseph Sheen in St. Louis, Missouri, Sheen was raised
in West Hollywood, CA. A tall young man who dressed his hair in a fashionable pompadour, he sang in a high voice heavily influenced by Clyde McPhatter, who was the Drifters' first important lead singer in the early 50s. Sheen recorded with Robins, The Ding Dongs, and the Loveables before making his solo debut with the Liberty Records single "How Many Nights." In 1962, Sheen hooked up with Spector through a recommendation from Lester Sill, a prominent Hollywood music business figure who had just gone into partnership with the 21-year-old producer to form the Philles label.
 |
| The Ding Dongs |
It was at a second Gold Star session, in the autumn of 1962, that Sheen found himself singing the lead part on a version of 'Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah', a children's song from a 1940 Walt Disney film, 'Song of the South', which Spector had re-styled. At the session,
![]()
Spector had assembled three guitarists, three bass players, at least two pianists, four saxophonists, a drummer and a percussionist. Levine spent almost three hours trying vainly to capture the correct sound balance on the studio's primitive three-track desk. In frustration, he turned off all the microphones. One by one he turned them back on, until Spector shouted: 'That's it! That's the sound!'
Spector had assembled three guitarists, three bass players, at least two pianists, four saxophonists, a drummer and a percussionist. Levine spent almost three hours trying vainly to capture the correct sound balance on the studio's primitive three-track desk. In frustration, he turned off all the microphones. One by one he turned them back on, until Spector shouted: 'That's it! That's the sound!'However, one microphone had been inadvertently left off, and the distant, metallic sound of Billy Strange's electric guitar solo leaking into the microphones of the other musicians became the signature. A top 10 hit over the Christmas of 1962, it helped prepare the way for the records by the Crystals and the Ronettes which established Philles as the last great phenomenon before the arrival of the Beatles ended pop's age of innocence.
With Darlene Love and Fanita James, two session singers who collaborated as the Blue Jeans, Sheen released two more Bob B Soxx singles in 1963, 'Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart?' and 'Not Too Young To Get Married', on both of which Love sang the lead part - as she had, uncredited, on 'He's A Rebel' and the Crystals' next hit, 'He's Sure The Boy I Love’. When neither Bob B Soxx follow-up matched the success of 'Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah', Spector turned his interest elsewhere.
But the group's final appearance, as contributors to the producer's legendary 'Christmas Album', also permitted Sheen his finest hour, delivering a soaring lead vocal on a magnificently thunderous arrangement of 'The Bells Of St Mary's'. In 1966 Sheen signed a contract with Capitol , releasing the single "Dr. Love" under his own name. Neither "Dr. Love" nor its follow-up, "Something New to Do," enjoyed any real commercial success, although both were later revived on the Northern soul club circuit.He would later join Bobby Nunn's group of The Coasters and recorded an album with the group called Coasting in 1979, which was released on Sheen's own record label, Salsa Picante Records. When Bobby Nunn died in 1986, Nunn's group of The Coasters still toured with Sheen and Billy Richards, Jr. as members.
Sheen died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, California on November 23, 2000, at the age of 59. His son Charles has become the custodian of his father’s legacy.
 |
Bobby Nunn´s Coasters in Germany 1982 (Nunn, Richards, Sheen; and top left unknown). |
Sheen died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, California on November 23, 2000, at the age of 59. His son Charles has become the custodian of his father’s legacy.
(Edited from Soulwalking & AllMusic)