Del Shannon (30 December 1934–8 February 1990) (born Charles Weedon Westove… Read Full Bio ↴Del Shannon (30 December 1934–8 February 1990) (born Charles Weedon Westover in Coopersville, Michigan) was an American rock and roller who launched into fame with the No. 1 hit "Runaway" (1961) which introduced the musitron, an early form of the synthesizer played by "Runaway" co-writer and keyboard player Max Crook.
Shannon followed up with "Hats Off to Larry", another big hit, and the less popular "So Long, Baby", another song of breakup bitterness. "Little Town Flirt", released in 1962 reached #12 in 1963 as did the album of the same name. After these hits, Shannon was unable to keep his momentum in the US, but became a sensation in England. In 1963, he became the first American artist to record a cover version of a Beatles song with "From Me to You".
Shannon returned to the charts in 1964 with "Handy Man", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Keep Searchin'", and "Stranger in Town" (1965), with the latter two songs themed about flight from pursuit in a dangerous world. A 1966 chart offering was Shannon's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb". In the late 1960s after a dry spell of hits, he turned to production. In 1969 he discovered a group called Smith and arranged their hit "Baby It's You". He then produced his friend Brian Hyland's million seller "Gypsy Woman" in 1970.
In the 1970s, Shannon's career slowed down greatly; the hates and fears he had turned into art in his earlier songs were turning into full-blown mental illness, and he was self-medicating with alcohol. He finally put the bottle down in 1978, and he was able to return to mainstream audiences with "Sea of Love" in the early 1980s from the album "Drop Down And Get Me" produced by Tom Petty.
In December, 1983, Shannon served as Grand Marshal of the Coopersville, Michigan Christmas parade and also performed a benefit concert at Coopersville High School.
Shannon enjoyed a resurgence in audience interest after re-recording a portion of his song "Runaway" (with new lyrics) as the theme for the television program Crime Story. Producer Michael Mann felt that this was one of the definitive songs of the era in which the program was set. Some fans of the show prefer the sharper lyrics ("Some live, and others die") as an alternate to the original words.
On 8 February 1990, while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug Prozac. The album was released after his death and titled "Rock On!".
Shannon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Shannon followed up with "Hats Off to Larry", another big hit, and the less popular "So Long, Baby", another song of breakup bitterness. "Little Town Flirt", released in 1962 reached #12 in 1963 as did the album of the same name. After these hits, Shannon was unable to keep his momentum in the US, but became a sensation in England. In 1963, he became the first American artist to record a cover version of a Beatles song with "From Me to You".
Shannon returned to the charts in 1964 with "Handy Man", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Keep Searchin'", and "Stranger in Town" (1965), with the latter two songs themed about flight from pursuit in a dangerous world. A 1966 chart offering was Shannon's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb". In the late 1960s after a dry spell of hits, he turned to production. In 1969 he discovered a group called Smith and arranged their hit "Baby It's You". He then produced his friend Brian Hyland's million seller "Gypsy Woman" in 1970.
In the 1970s, Shannon's career slowed down greatly; the hates and fears he had turned into art in his earlier songs were turning into full-blown mental illness, and he was self-medicating with alcohol. He finally put the bottle down in 1978, and he was able to return to mainstream audiences with "Sea of Love" in the early 1980s from the album "Drop Down And Get Me" produced by Tom Petty.
In December, 1983, Shannon served as Grand Marshal of the Coopersville, Michigan Christmas parade and also performed a benefit concert at Coopersville High School.
Shannon enjoyed a resurgence in audience interest after re-recording a portion of his song "Runaway" (with new lyrics) as the theme for the television program Crime Story. Producer Michael Mann felt that this was one of the definitive songs of the era in which the program was set. Some fans of the show prefer the sharper lyrics ("Some live, and others die") as an alternate to the original words.
On 8 February 1990, while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug Prozac. The album was released after his death and titled "Rock On!".
Shannon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
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Del Shannon Lyrics
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joe gongora
Very wonderfully done & cool instrumental on Runaway. Max Crook is absolutely awesome with his Musitron. I wander when this particular instrumental was recorded. It would've been something if Del Shannon would've sat in with his guitar. The Ventures did their instrumental version of Runaway. But they didn't have a keyboard player like Max Crook. But this version was absolutely cool.
Russ Johnson
you're right, it's mighty rough, but it's mighty tough! A great arrangement of Love Letters...
joe gongora
When Max Crook invented his Musitron which was a forerunner to the synthesizers. It was a keyboard that was outta this time because Max Crook was a musical visionary with keyboard music. It's sad that Max is no longer around because he died this year Jun 2020. I wonder who he left his Musitron too ? Many keyboard collectors are setting their eyes on that keyboard. I hope that he left it with a trusted family member. It be great if the Musitron made a comeback one day. Perhaps one of Max's grandkids or great grandkids if they recorded their own music, and out of the blue the Musitron making it's presence known in the music world. It might happen one day just it wouldn't be Max Crook that's playing it. Max Crook was a great keyboard player and it was great he met Del Shannon. With out this keyboard Runaway & Hats Off To Larry wouldn't have been Hit songs.
Fred C
Were all of the keyboard parts possibly played by one musician and in one track? Doesn't seem likely but some of these musicians can do magic.
Glenda Hughes
yes it was ,he has been called the fastest fingers in the west, he is a genious, I ,his wife and many other over the yrs have witness him playing runaway in its entirety many many times, he is an amazing musican.
ramblin man
Thankyou.. Ive got this (Love Letters) on a cd which was copied from a bootleg tape of some of Dels 70s Irish Sessions.... Ive already sent it to some of the members on Dels appreciation sites.. The yahoo "Rockon" one, & the DelShannongooglegroups one.... I love the version of Runaway by Max, thanks again for uploading..
baratittafilmer
Hi Keith, long time - nice to hear something new from my "Love" Del, thanks a lot for posting it here,caro
Fred C
That instrumental runaway is cool
Fred C
@Spotted Owl Soap Her right to do with it what she wants, but I hope she has it set up when she passes that maybe it goes to a proper music or other museum where we can see it in all its glory. And not some place like nashville where it could be destroyed. I don't know what some of these record companies and storage places are doing. I think they can do better. And I also would like to know how long these companies are going to just store things. At some point no one will be around to care and all of the enjoyment people could have had was wasted. They could make plenty making music and video available to the people.
Spotted Owl Soap
The musitron made by Max Crook and used in Runaway is still around!. His beloved wife, Glenda Crook, holds it tight. You can feel his essence when you hold it as if it lives inside of it. RIP Max.