Bobby Comstock was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame at the Dinosaur Bar B Que- Syracuse, NY the evening on Thursday March 5, 2015- The following is his induction speech given by Syracuse Music Historian- Ron Wray.
When talking to Bobby Comstock this morning I remembered back to receiving my best Christmas present- my first transistor radio with a earplug so I could listen to music into the night. That's when I first heard Ithaca's "Bobby Comstock and the Counts". After two local releases Bobby was signed by Herb Abramson of Atlantic Records. His first major release "Tennessee Waltz" was played in over 17 countries around the world. This led to a week of TV appearances with America's greatest disc jockey Alan Freed. The same man who coined the term "Rock & Roll". Plus a spot on Alan Freed's 5th Anniversary Labor Day Shows at the Brooklyn Fox Theater- September 1959.
He later signed with Swan Records, Bobby's song "Let's Stomp" was performed by none other than the Beatles during their early days in Hamburg, Germany and the records flip side "I Want To Do It" was so popular that it was played by every band and heard on every college campus in Central New York and maybe in all the Northeast.
This led to a number of appearances on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" & Clark's "Saturday Night Beechnut" Television Shows. Clark also added Bobby to his famed "Caravan of Stars" traveling tours. He also performed on shows with the Rolling Stones and Dave Clark 5. Next came a performance on Shindig with Chubby Checker and working with producer Don Kirschner known by all for his late night "Rock Concert" national television shows.
And finally asked by Richard Nader to become music director of his "Rock Revival Tours" for 20+ years (1969-90). This included stops in every major city including Los Angeles, Boston, Washington and New York's Madison Square Garden (over 50 times). He backed up the likes of Chuck Berry (over 300 times), Bo Diddley, the Shirelles, Gary "U.S." Bonds and many more Rock & Roll greats. Then on to motion pictures, in 1973 in Richard Nader's "Let The Good Times Roll".
What an amazing career with thousands of concert appearances. recording 20+ singles, his own album, a producer, conductor, and arranger and final in a feature film. Bobby Comstock by the way is also heard playing on national hits by- The Angel's "My Boyfriends Back", Freddy Cannon (Patti Baby), & The Strangeloves "I Want Candy". to name a few.
Bobby Comstock has become a true Central New York musical legend. It is truly a great honor for me to welcome Bobby Comstock into the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame - Ron Wray
