Rock and Roll Singer Freddy 'Boom Boom' Cannon Dies at 89
Early rock and roll singer Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, known for hit songs "Palisades Park" and "Tallahassee Lassie," died on July 17 at a hospice facility in Oxnard, California. He was 89 years old.
His friend Tom Cuddy confirmed his death. Cannon died following a brief diagnosis with cancer. He was scheduled to appear for a radio interview with disc jockey Cousin Brucie Morrow on July 11, but canceled after falling ill the day before.
Rich Koz, who portrays television character Svengoolie, posted a statement online following the news:
"This is a sad day."
"His enthusiasm, sense of humor, and countless stories of his rock and roll world made knowing him a wonderful experience. I will miss him."
Born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. on December 4, 1936, in Revere, Massachusetts, Cannon grew up in nearby Lynn. His father drove a delivery truck and played trumpet in local bands. Cannon learned to play guitar as a teenager as he listened to rhythm and blues records.
He played rhythm guitar on his first record, "Cha-Cha-Do," with a group called the Spindrifts in 1958. Before launching his solo recording career, he served in the National Guard, drove a delivery truck, married, and started a family.
Cannon scored his first major hit in 1959 with "Tallahassee Lassie," reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Record producers added heavy bass drum sounds to his recordings, creating the nickname "Boom Boom".
He followed that success in 1960 with "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," reaching number three on the charts. In 1962, Cannon released "Palisades Park," written by television producer Chuck Barris. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his biggest signature record. Cannon earned 22 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 throughout his career.
Television host Dick Clark urged Cannon to move to Philadelphia early in his career. Cannon appeared on "American Bandstand" 110 times, setting a record for the most guest appearances by any artist on the show.
He sang the theme song for the 1965 television music series "Where the Action Is". He later used the same title for his 2011 memoir. He appeared as an actor in the 1965 film "Village of the Giants" and on the daytime television drama "Never Too Young".
In 1981, Cannon recorded "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock N Roll" with the vocal group The Belmonts, returning to the Billboard charts.
Prominent musicians cited Cannon's drum-heavy sound across multiple decades. Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards said Cannon's production style inspired the drum beat on "Brown Sugar". Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recalled that his band jammed to "Tallahassee Lassie" during their earliest rehearsal sessions. Author Stephen King referenced Cannon's music in four of his published books.
