Birth Name

  Walden Robert Cassotto

  Also Known As

  Bobby Darin

  Born

  May 14, 1936

  Bronx, New York, USA

  Genre

  Big band, rock and roll, pop, folk

  Occupation

  Musician, singer-songwriter, actor

  Instruments

  Vocals, guitar, piano, drums, harmonica,  xylophone

  Years Active

  1956 - 1973

  Labels

  Decca, Atco, Capitol Records, Brunswick Records,

  Atlantic Records, Motown Records

  Website

  www.bobbydarin.com

In 1959, Bobby Darin recorded "Dream Lover," a ballad that became a multi-million seller. With financial success came the ability to demand more so-called creative control. His next record, "Mack the Knife," Darin gave the tune a vamping jazz-pop interpretation, which he consciously modelled on the style of Frankie Laine. The song went to No. 1 on the charts for nine weeks, sold over a million copies, and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1960. Darin was also voted the Grammy Award for Best New Artist that year. "Mack The Knife" has since been honoured with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. He followed "Mack" with "Beyond the Sea," a jazzy English-language version of Charles Trenet's French hit song "La Mer."

In addition to music, Darin became a motion picture actor. In 1960, he was the only actor ever to be contractually signed to five major Hollywood film studios. He wrote music for several films and acted in them as well. In his first major film, Come September, a romantic comedy designed to capitalize on his popularity with the teenage and young adult audience, he met and co-starred with 18-year-old actress Sandra Dee. They fell in love and were married in 1960. They had one son, Dodd Mitchell Darin, in 1961, and divorced in 1967.

In January 1971, he underwent his first heart surgery in an attempt to correct some of the heart damage he had lived with since childhood. He continued to perform however, owing to his poor health, he was often administered oxygen after his performances.

In 1973, Darin's ill health took a turn for the worse. After failing to take medication prescribed after a dental visit, he developed blood poisoning, weakening his body and clotting one of his heart valves. On December 11, 1973, Darin entered Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles to repair two artificial heart valves received in a previous operation. Despite this, Bobby Darin died on December 20, 1973 after eight hours on the operating table. No funeral was held for Darin, and his body was donated to UCLA for medical research.


*Reference Wikipedia