Freddy “Growth Growth” Cannon, the early rock & curler who scored large, joyful radio hits with, amongst others, 1959’s “Tallahassee Lassie” and 1962’s “Palisades Park,” died yesterday, July 17, at a California hospice facility following a short battle with most cancers. He was 89.
His demise was introduced by Tom Cuddy, a longtime buddy and iHeart Radio producer. Cuddy famous that Cannon’s youngsters Conny Weber and Billy Cannon have been with him within the days earlier than his passing.
Cannon, who earned the nickname “Growth Growth” from the percussive energy of his songs in addition to the double entendre of his final title, took a spot within the post-Elvis/pre-Beatles rock & roll panorama by means of a string of hits and, maybe extra considerably, repeated appearances on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand musical selection collection.
Whereas Clark’s program launched Cannon to TV audiences – at first when the present was produced regionally in Philadelphia and later when it went nationwide – the singer-guitarist would additionally seem on such music packages of the period as Shindig, Hullabaloo, The place the Motion Is and, later, The Midnight Particular.
Cannon in one among his many ‘American Bandstand’ appearances (1959)
ABC Photograph Archives/Disney Basic Leisure Content material through Getty Photographs
“Freddy didn’t do ballads,” Cuddy mentioned. “Dick Clark as soon as advised me that each time he hosted an oldies live performance, he requested Freddy to open it, as a result of he knew Freddy would get the viewers on their toes with up-tempo rock and roll.”
Along with “Tallahassee Lassie” (cowritten with The 4 Seasons’ Bob Crewe) and “Palisades Park,” the latter remembered for its distinguished use of circus calliope sounds as a recurring motif, Cannon’s different hits included “Means Down Yonder In New Orleans,” “Too A lot Monkey Enterprise,” “Motion” (used because the theme music for Clark’s The place The Motion Is collection), “Transistor Sister” and “Abigail Beecher.”
Born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. on December 4, 1936, in Lynn, Massachusetts, Cannon lived within the state till his late teenagers, having fun with some musical success within the Boston space earlier than he and his spouse Jeanette moved to Philadelphia on the encouragement of TV host Clark, who had turn out to be conscious of Cannon’s music by means of “Tallahassee Lassie.” Clark advised Cannon re-edit and overdub the recording with the stronger bass drums that may turn out to be Cannon’s trademark sound and nickname inspiration.
Cannon is believed to carry the file for showing on American Bandstand over time, with estimates placing the variety of his visits to over 100.
His visibility and chart success – he scored three Prime 10 songs and 29 Prime 100 – led to a fan base that would come with such future superstars as Mick Jagger and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, who as soon as advised Cannon throughout a backstage go to that he and his Zeppelin bandmates beloved “Tallahassee Lassie” a lot they recorded a blues model of it (if true, the recording has by no means surfaced).
Jagger has mentioned in interviews that “Tallahassee Lassie” impressed the Stones’ hit “Brown Sugar,” noting, “The groove is much like Freddy’s music.” (The Stones recorded their very own cowl of “Tallahassee Lassie” in 1978, with the music surfacing as a bonus monitor on the band’s 2011 re-issue of Some Ladies.)
One other fan was a younger Stephen King, who talked about Cannon in no less than 4 of his books, most notably within the time-travel novel 11/22/63, during which “Palisades Park” options prominently.
Over a profession that spanned 70 years, Cannon, a longtime resident of Oxnard, California, carried out on payments with a few of the prime musical performers the early rock & roll period, together with Chuck Berry, Fat Domino, Little Richard, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Connie Francis and Brenda Lee.
Cannon was engaged on music at his house in Oxnard proper as much as his demise, Cuddy notes. He at the moment has a Prime 20 music in the UK on the Heritage Charts with a quantity he recorded this 12 months referred to as “All She Desires To Do Is Dance.” The music can be in common rotation on the Sirius XM Sixties channel.
Cannon’s songs have appeared in such movies as George Clooney’s Confessions of a Harmful Thoughts and 2011’s X-Males: First Class. The MeTV horror host Svengoolie has featured Cannon’s music and not too long ago paid tribute to the singer with an airing of 1965’s Village of the Giants, which incorporates an performing efficiency by Cannon.
In keeping with Cuddy, Cannon was scheduled to do what would have been his last interview on July 11 with longtime buddy and NYC DJ Cousin Brucie Morrow, however was compelled to cancel when he was hospitalized the day prior.
Cannon revealed his autobiography The place the Motion Is (with Mark Bego) in 2011.
Along with his youngsters Conny and Billy, Cannon is survived by sister Mary Lou, son-in-law Jim, daughter-in-law Beth, 5 grandchildren and 7 nice grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his son John, who died this previous April 13, and spouse Jeanette, who died in 2024.
Daughter Weber mentioned in an announcement, “We wish to thank everybody for his or her love and help all through our dad’s life. He will probably be remembered as a rock and roll icon. His music will stay eternally in our hearts.”