Artist:Bobby Helms
Song:My Special Angel
Album:Feauleins, Jacquelines and Special Angels
Country singer Bobby Helms is best known for the 1957 Christmas perennial Jingle Bell Rock. But he topped the country charts with the 1957 singles Fraulein and My Special Angel and My Special Angel was a top ten pop hit. Helms was born Aug. 15, 1933 in Bloomington, IN. He performed with his brother Freddie in the Midwest before moving to Nashville in 1956 to sign with Decca Records. Helms had his greatest success in 1957 when the single Fraulein topped the country charts and reached #36 on the pop chart. This was followed by My Special Angel which also topped the country charts. But the big surprise was when it reached #7 on the pop chart. Jingle Bell Rock followed that and that still gets Christmas airplay. Then Decca released the album Bobby Helms Sings to My Special Angel. The problem is that Fraulein and Jingle Bell Rock were only released as singles and aren't on the album. The best way to get all three hits on one CD is on this comp from the reissue label Jasmine. My Special Angel was the biggest hit written by singer songwriter Jimmy Duncan. Decca Nashville head Paul Cohen produced. He established Decca Nashville but left in 1958 and Owen Bradley took over. And he made Decca a force in Nashville. Other than the seasonal airplay of Jingle Bell Rock, Helms didn't have any more pop hits. He continued to have success in country until the mid 60s when he left Decca for Kapp. Helms continued to tour and record for smaller labels until he died on June 19, 1997 at age 64. Bobby Helms is in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Here's Bobby Helms performing My Special Angel on the Dec. 1, 1957 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show.
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