Pipe Smoker: Jerry Keller

From Jerry Keller's official web site:

I was born on the 20th of June, 1938 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA.

After moving to Tulsa in 1944, I formed the Lads Of Note Quartet in the 50′s before joining the Tulsa Boy Singers. I won a talent contest organized by band leader, Horace Heidt, which earned me the vocalist job with Jack Dalton’s Orchestra.

I then spent nine months as a disc jockey in Tulsa before moving to New York in 1956. I recorded a series of demos for record companies before fellow performer Pat Boone introduced me to Marty Mills who then became my manager.

I recorded the self-penned ‘Here Comes Summer’ for the Kapp record label, and it became a US summer hit in 1959. Ironically, it did not enter the UK charts until late August as the warmer months lapsed into Autumn, but it still went to number 1.

I recorded follow-up records such as ‘If I Had A Girl’ and ‘Now Now Now’.

In 1960, I toured the UK replacing Eddie Cochran in a package tour engagement after Cochran died in a car crash.

In 1964, I fell in love and got married.

Throughout the 70′s and 80′s, I recorded jingles (commercials) full-time.

In 1977, I appeared in the film You Light Up My Life and the following year in If I Ever See You Again.