Bobby Goldsboro

Robert Charles Goldsboro, born on January 18, 1941, in Marianna, Florida, developed an early interest in music after his family relocated to Dothan, Alabama. He began playing the ukulele at approximately 12 years old before transitioning to the guitar. Initially considering a career in professional baseball, Goldsboro shifted his focus to music while attending Auburn University, where he majored in business administration. He left college in his second year to pursue music full-time, joining Roy Orbison’s backing band as a guitarist. His time with Orbison included touring across the United States and Europe for two and a half years until 1964. During this period, Goldsboro also performed and recorded with “The Webbs,” achieving local success and attracting the attention of producer Jack Gold.

Goldsboro’s solo career launched with “Molly” charting in early 1963, followed by his breakthrough hit, “See the Funny Little Clown,” in early 1964, which sold over one million copies and earned a gold disc. He continued to produce Top 40 hits throughout the 1960s, including “Little Things,” “Voodoo Woman,” and “It’s Too Late.” In 1968, he released his most successful song, “Honey,” a pop and country hit that sold over a million copies and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. The song also reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one in Australia. Goldsboro’s songwriting talents were also recognized, with his composition “With Pen in Hand” being recorded by several artists, including a Grammy-nominated version by Vikki Carr.

His career extended into television with “The Bobby Goldsboro Show,” a syndicated half-hour series that ran from 1973 to 1976. In the 1990s, he composed music for the sitcom “Evening Shade.” Goldsboro further diversified his creative output by creating animated specials and children’s books, such as “Snuffy: The Elf Who Saved Christmas” and “Easter Egg Mornin’.” In 1995, he launched the PBS children’s series “The Swamp Critters of Lost Lagoon,” where he voiced all characters, wrote scripts, and performed all musical instruments. Goldsboro, also an oil painter, continues to be a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.