Bill Haley’s career offers many life lessons. Among them, don’t give up. If you have a goal, make a plan and work it. Two, once successful, surround yourself with good people. Related, success only magnifies unsolved emotional issues.
Haley Jr (with Peter Benjaminson) provides a thorough telling of the Original King of Rock n Roll. For whatever reason, Haley Sn does not seem to get the respect he deserves from pop music historians. His knowledge of music and his level of musicianship are apparent in whatever source you read. However, his emergence, along with the Comets, came at a pivoting point in pop music. Their influences were big band, jazz, and swing artists. Their musical chops were far above those of emerging artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Elvis, etc., yet, these were the types of artists breaking through the pop charts. Haley’s immediate challenge was finding relevant songs that would keep him on the charts. That – in my opinion – was his Achilles heel and the main cause for his slide off the charts.
Haley Sn seemed to ride cycles of highs and lows. Success would be followed by down turns. Poor management and/or creative choices would impact record and ticket sales. Perhaps related to business decisions, he made extreme and impetuous personal choices that effected his wives and children. If only he had had quality management instead of trying to steer the ship himself.
It’s all revealed in the book. Bill’s family life, including his wives and children, are included and discussed, as is the decline of his career, and his sad demise. The book is enhanced with many pictures, an informative bibliography, and a much appreciated discography.
Bill Haley had a goal to become successful in music. He devised a plan and worked it. However, once success was obtained, it was a challenge to deal with. As the saying goes, “Be careful what you ask for; you might just get it!”
Highly recommend this book. Also read, “Sound and Glory: the Incredible Story of Bill Haley, the Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” by John Haley, Bill’s oldest son.
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