According to Billboard magazine, he had 38 American Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.
Vee was born in Fargo, North Dakota, to Sydney Ronald Velline and Saima Cecilia Tapanila. His first single, "Suzie Baby," was written by Vee with a nod to Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" and recorded for the Minneapolis-based Soma Records in 1959; it drew enough attention and chart action to be purchased by Liberty Records, who signed him later that year. His followup single, a cover of Adam Faith's UK number-one "What Do You Want?", charted in the lower reaches of the Billboard pop chart in early 1960. His fourth release, a revival of the Clovers' doo-wop ballad "Devil or Angel", brought him into the big time with U.S. buyers. His next single, "Rubber Ball", made him an international star.
Vee's 1961 summer release "Take Good Care of My Baby" went to number one on the Billboard U.S. listings and number three in the UK Singles Chart. Known primarily as a performer of Brill Building pop material, he went on to record a string of international hits in the 1960s, including "Devil or Angel" (U.S. number six), "Rubber Ball" (1961, U.S. number six, Australia number one), "More Than I Can Say" (1961, U.K. number four), "Run to Him" (1961, U.S. number two), "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" (1963, U.S. number three), and "Come Back When You Grow Up" (U.S. number three). When Vee recorded "Come Back When You Grow Up" in 1967, he was joined by a band called the Strangers. He also recorded, in 1961, a version of the song "Lollipop", originally by Ronald & Ruby, which also became a success.
Vee was also a pioneer in the music video genre, appearing in several musical films, as well as in the Scopitone series of early film-and-music jukebox recordings.
He received the North Dakota Roughrider Award in 1999.
He is mentioned in the film No Direction Home regarding his brief musical association with Bob Dylan and Dylan's suggestion that he was "Bobby Vee" after Vee's regional hit.
The Very Best of Bobby Vee, released by EMI/UK on May 12, 2008, charted in the UK top five. On January 17, 2011, EMI/UK released Rarities, a double-CD package with 61 tracks, many of which were previously unreleased. Others included were alternate takes and first-time stereo releases as well as tracks from the album Bobby Vee Live on Tour minus the "canned" audience.
On March 28, 2011, he became the 235th inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 2014 he was inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame.
Vee's career began amid tragedy. On February 3, 1959, "The Day the Music Died", three of the four headline acts in the lineup of the traveling Winter Dance Party—Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper—were killed, along with the 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson, in the crash of a V-tailed 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza airplane (Dion, the second headliner, opted not to travel on the plane). It crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, en route to the next show on the tour itinerary in Moorhead, Minnesota. Velline, then aged 15, and a hastily assembled band of Fargo schoolboys calling themselves the Shadows volunteered for and were given the unenviable job of filling in for Holly and his band at the Moorhead engagement. Their performance there was a success, setting in motion a chain of events that led to Vee's career as a popular singer.
In 1963, Vee released a tribute album on Liberty Records called I Remember Buddy Holly. In the liner notes, Vee recalled Holly's influence on him and the events surrounding Holly's death:
Like so many other people, I became a Buddy Holly fan the very first time I heard him sing. I've been a fan ever since and I guess I always will be. I remember a few years ago when Buddy was scheduled to appear at a dance in my home town of Fargo, North Dakota. It was going to be a big event for the whole town, but even more so for me. I was anxiously looking forward to seeing Buddy in action.
The day he was to arrive disaster struck, taking Buddy's life, along with the lives of two other fine singers, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The shocking news spread through Fargo very quickly. The local radio station broadcast a plea for local talent to entertain at the scheduled dance. About a week before this, I had just organized a vocal and instrumental group of five guys. Our style was modelled after Buddy's approach and we had been rehearsing with Buddy's hits in mind. When we heard the radio plea for talent, we went in and volunteered. We hadn't even named the group up to that time, so we gave ourselves a name on the spot, calling ourselves The Shadows. We appeared at the dance and were grateful to be enthusiastically accepted. Soon afterwards, I made my first record. It was called "Suzie Baby" and I was pretty lucky with it; it was a fair-sized hit.
For some time now, I have wanted to make an album in tribute to Buddy, but I wasn't sure it was the proper thing to do. However, during the past year, I have received many requests to do such an album. These requests came not only from my fans and from DJs, but also from Buddy's loyal following---still a large group of devoted fans. It.... gave me the confidence to do the album. From "Suzie Baby" to this present album, I have made many records, but I have never forgotten Buddy Holly and his influence on my singing style and my career.
Vee went on to become a bona fide star and regularly performed at the Winter Dance Party memorial concerts in Clear Lake. His sons are all musicians and have performed with him there.
Early in Vee's career, a musician named Elston Gunnn [sic] briefly toured with the band. "Gunnn", whose birth name was Robert Allen Zimmerman, later went on to fame as Bob Dylan.
Dylan's autobiography, Chronicles, Volume One, mentions Vee and provides complimentary details about their friendship, both professional and personal.
In a concert at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 10, 2013, Dylan said he had been on the stage with many stars, but that none of them were as meaningful as Vee. He said Vee was in the audience and then played Vee's hit "Suzie Baby" with emotion. Dylan said (in an audio recording of the concert),
Thank you everyone, thank you friends. I left here a while back, and since that time, I've played all over the world, with all kinds of people. And everybody from Mick Jagger to Madonna. And everybody in there in between. I've been on the stage with most of those people. But the most meaningful person I've ever been on the stage with, was a man who is here tonight, who used to sing a song called "Suzie Baby". I want to say that Bobby Vee is actually here tonight. Maybe you can show your appreciation with just a round of applause. So, we're gonna try to do this song, like I've done it with him before once or twice.
Vee and Karen Bergen were engaged July 1, 1963, and married December 28, 1963. They had four children: Jeffery Robert Velline (b. Jan 3, 1965), Thomas Paul Velline (b. October 25, 1966), Robert Bryon Velline (b. August 4, 1967), and Jennifer Joanne Velline (b. May 31, 1972). Karen died of kidney failure on August 3, 2015.
On April 29, 2012, Vee announced on his website that a year prior he had been diagnosed with an early stage of Alzheimer's disease and consequently would withdraw from the music business.
On October 24, 2016, Vee died in Rogers, Minnesota, from complications of early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Home for the Holidays
Bobby Vee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Home for the holidays,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam
When you pine for the sunshine
Of a friendly face
For the holidays, you can't beat
Home, sweet home
And he was headin' for Pennsylvania
And some home made pumpkin pie
From Pennsylvania folks a travelin' down
To Dixie's sunny shore
From Atlantic to Pacific, gee
The traffic is terrific
Oh there's no place like home
For the holidays, 'cause no matter
How far away you roam
If you want
To be happy in a million ways
For the holidays, you can't beat
Home, sweet home
The opening lines of Bobby Vee's "Home for the Holidays" convey the importance of returning home during the holiday season. The song sets the stage for longing for the warmth and comfort of home, even when far from it. The lyrics highlight the joy of spending the festive season with loved ones and the feeling of being surrounded by familiar faces. The lyrics, made all the more poignant and emotive through Vee's melodious voice, express homesickness that arises in all of us.
The song is a celebration of the holiday season, with Vee bringing a touch of nostalgia and sentimentality to the piece. Through the variety of characters that Vee encounters in his travels, he depicts the diverse ways in which people express their joy, longing and hope for the holiday season. The song creates an environment of good cheer and familiarity, reminding us of the joy of being connected with the people who matter to us.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, there's no place like
There is truly nowhere better than
Home for the holidays,
One's own home is the perfect place to spend the holiday season,
'Cause no matter how far away you roam
Regardless of how far one travels away from home,
When you pine for the sunshine
When one yearns for the warmth
Of a friendly face
Of the company of a familiar and kind acquaintance,
For the holidays, you can't beat
Nothing can compare to
Home, sweet home
The comfort and security of one's own domicile.
I met a man who lives in Tennessee
I had encountered an individual who resides in Tennessee,
And he was headin' for Pennsylvania
Who was traveling towards Pennsylvania,
And some home made pumpkin pie
To get himself some homemade pumpkin pie,
From Pennsylvania folks a travelin' down
The pie was made by individuals from Pennsylvania who were traveling in a southern direction,
To Dixie's sunny shore
Until they reached the southern shore of Dixie,
From Atlantic to Pacific, gee
From the eastern seaboard to the western coast, my goodness,
The traffic is terrific
The amount of vehicles on the road is staggering.
If you want
If one desires
To be happy in a million ways
To engender pleasure in infinite fashions,
For the holidays, you can't beat
One cannot surpass the experience of
Home, sweet home
One's own comfortable and familiar dwelling.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Al Stillman, Robert Allen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LoveTheOConnor
Wonderful version of this one, Jim, with that special Bobby Vee touch. Beautiful video by you as always. Thanks so much for sharing! Have a great evening, my friend :))
Nipstersongs1
Yes, Bobby Vee's voice has touched so many and will continue to touch people for many years to come. Thank you, Heather and I hope you have a great evening as well :))
Jim
Darryl C Preston
I certainly agree with all the earlier 'excellent' comments on your video. This was always the way that I thought YouTube should be; mixed video and audio masterpieces, but it hasn't tuned out that way very often. Keep up the great work!
Jymster46
Well, thank you so much for the very nice comment. I always try to post the best audio and try to make the video enjoyable. Thanks for watching and listening to this one.
Jim
tryton111
Dear Bobby Vee. This one made my day, Jim.
Jymster46
He had some great one's, for sure. Thanks so much for listening, Victor.
Jim
Rose Frederick
thank you angel i loved it!!!!!!!!!!!
Christine Anne
bit sad this one jim, what a bad year,lost bobby, bowie,the biggest list ever, isn't music just great though? keeps them alive-- great artist,thanks jim.
Nipstersongs1
Sad, for sure, Jane and Brian. I hope that some peace will be found by those families during this Holiday season. Hoping for heeling for you, Jane. Wishing you both all the best.
Jim
Susan McKey TV
nice video I like watching, I hope you return subs have nice weekend !