The 1950s were filled with some of history's most important musicians. By the end of the decade, this charming crooner found himself joining the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. with his soulful pop songs.
Born Walden Robert Cassotto in New York, Bobby Darin's life was filled with tragic secrets at the same time he was rising to fame. He spent most of his life believing his mother, who gave birth to him at 18 and out of wedlock in 1935, was actually his older sister. Darin was understandably devastated when his family finally told him the truth, but it didn't hold him back from finding success. As a songwriter in the infamous Brill Building in the early 1950s, he was among other talented writers like Glenn Miller and Carole King.
After struggling to find a sound for himself, at one point having a go at imitating Elvis Presley's famous vocal style, Darin finally developed his own unique sound as a performer with his hits like "Splish Splash" and "Dream Lover." Outside of the public eye, Darin was silently suffering a longterm heart condition that saw him in and out of hospitals as a child. Even after having two of his valves replaced in 1971, he required yet another open heart surgery just two short years later. Sadly, he never woke up from the operating table despite an extensive attempt by the doctors. He was only 37 years old when he passed.
Thankfully, we'll always have his music and performances like this delightful reminder of what a charismatic cutie Darin truly was back in the day.
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