Bobby Curtola
{{Short description|Canadian singer (1943–2016)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| birth_name = Robert Allen Curtola
| name =
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=CAN|size=100%|CM}}
| image = Bobby Curtola 1962.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|4|17|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, Canada
| death_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|6|4|1943|4|17|mf=y}}
| occupation = rock and roll singer
| spouse = Ava Curtola 1975–2000
Karyn Rochford 2010–2015
| website = http://bobbycurtola.com
}}
Robert Allen Curtola, CM (April 17, 1943 – June 4, 2016){{cite news|last= Csillag |first= Ron |date=June 16, 2016 |title= Bobby Curtola was the original Canadian idol |url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/bobby-curtola-was-the-original-canadian-idol/article30496871/ |access-date=October 4, 2016|newspaper =The Globe and Mail}}{{cite magazine | title=Bobby Curtola, Canadian former Teen Idol, Dies at 73 | first=Karen | last=Bliss | magazine=Billboard |url= https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7393603/bobby-curtola-dead| date=June 5, 2016 | access-date=June 6, 2016}} was a Canadian rock and roll singer and teen idol.
History
Curtola was born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada. He began performing at age 15 with a band called Bobby and the Bobcats, singing at high school assemblies.{{cite web |url=https://nmc.ca/bobby-curtola-rise-of-a-canadian-teen-idol/ |title=Bobby Curtola: Rise of a Canadian teen idol |last=Capone |first=Julijana |date=August 11, 2014 |website=Studio Bell |publisher=National Music Centre |access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=Before long, kids started coming from other high schools to see Bobby and the Bobcats perform. Then the band was filling gymnasiums at other high schools, and playing dances at the inner-city coliseum. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913155406/https://nmc.ca/bobby-curtola-rise-of-a-canadian-teen-idol/ |archive-date=September 13, 2016 |url-status=dead }} Over the subsequent years, the singer had many songs on the Canadian music charts beginning with "Hand in Hand With You" in 1960.{{cite web| title= Canadian Charts from 1957 to 1986| work= 1050chum.com| url= http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx| access-date= December 3, 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090312100423/http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx| archive-date= March 12, 2009| url-status= dead}} Retrieved November 26, 2006 He was backed by the Corvettes, a group who changed their name to The Martels (named after Curtola's manager, Maria Martell).{{cite web |url=http://militarybruce.com/the-guardians-of-rock-roll/ |title=The Martels |last=Forsyth |first=Bruce |date=February 2016 |website=Militarybruce.com |access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=The Martels first emerged on the music scene in 1957 ... formed The Corvettes ... The Corvettes would go on to become the backing band for Canada's first teen idol Bobby Curtola as he toured the university circuit. Changing their name to Bobby Curtola & The Martells}}
Curtola went on to record hits such as "Indian Giver", "Aladdin" and his biggest chart topper, "Fortuneteller" in 1962, which was also successful internationally, selling 2.5 million copies.{{cite web |url=https://nmc.ca/bobby-curtola-rise-of-a-canadian-teen-idol/ |title=Bobby Curtola: Rise of a Canadian teen idol |last=Capone |first=Julijana |date=August 11, 2014 |website=Studio Bell |publisher=National Music Centre |access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=sold 2.5 million records worldwide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913155406/https://nmc.ca/bobby-curtola-rise-of-a-canadian-teen-idol/ |archive-date=September 13, 2016 |url-status=dead }} On June 20, 1962, he performed on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Between 1960 and 1968 he had continual single and album releases on the Tartan label in Canada. The managers and main songwriters were brothers Dyer and Basil Hurdon. The Del-Fi label released some of those singles in the US. He wrote and performed the song "Things go better with Coca-Cola" in 1964 for advertising and was a pitchman for the company.{{cite web |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/canadian-singer-bobby-curtola-dies-during-edmonton-visit |title=Canadian singer Bobby Curtola dies during Edmonton visit |last=French |first=Janet |date=June 5, 2016 |website=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Postmedia Network Inc. |access-date=June 6, 2016}}
In 1966 he won a RPM Gold Leaf Award{{cite web | title= RPM Gold Leaf Award/Canadian Music Hall of Fame winner and nominations| work=juno-awards.ca|url=http://www.juno-awards.ca}} Retrieved November 26, 2006 for becoming the first Canadian to have an album go gold.{{cite web|title=Gold & Platinum certification of albums at RIAA |website=Riaa.com |url=https://www.riaa.com/gp/database/search_results.asp |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608063940/http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/search_results.asp |archivedate=June 8, 2007 }} Retrieved November 26, 2006 In the early 1970s, Curtola hosted a CTV musical series entitled, Shake, Rock and Roll and Curtola went on to a successful singing career at Las Vegas, Nevada casino venues.{{Cite web|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/canadian-singer-bobby-curtola-dies-during-edmonton-visit|title=Canadian singer Bobby Curtola dies during Edmonton visit|website=Edmontonjournal|access-date=August 21, 2021}} In the 1980s, in an attempt at updating his image, Curtola briefly adopted the billing Boby Curtola and released at least two singles under this name before reverting to his original spelling.
During his career, the singer achieved 25 Canadian gold singles and 12 Canadian gold albums. In 1998, in recognition of his long service to the Canadian music industry as well as his humanitarian work, particularly with children's charities,{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/former-canadian-teen-idol-bobby-curtola-dies/article30280523/ |title=Canadian former teen idol Bobby Curtola dies |author= |date=June 5, 2016 |website=The Globe and Mail |publisher=The Globe and Mail Inc. |access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=He was also known for his charity work, particularly for children.}} he was made a member of the Order of Canada.{{cite web | title= Mr. Bobby Curtola: Member of the Order of Canada| work=Governor General of Canada|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-5088}} His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.{{cite web| title=Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees| website=Rockabillyhall.com| url=http://www.rockabillyhall.com/home.html| access-date=December 3, 2006| archive-date=May 14, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514185918/http://www.rockabillyhall.com/home.html| url-status=dead}} Retrieved November 26, 2006 Curtola also performed on some Princess Cruises ships in the 1990s but also more recently, in 2014, for example.{{cite web |url=http://bobbycurtola.com/en/just-announced-join-bobby-in-the-beautiful-caribbean-in-2014/ |title=Join Bobby in the Beautiful Caribbean in 2014! |author= |website=Bobby Curtola |publisher=Bobby Curtola Entertainment Group Inc. |access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=Join me in the beautiful Caribbean on the brand new Royal Princess sailing from Ft Lauderdale to St Thomas, St Maarten and Princess Cays…}}
In addition to his musical work, Curtola was a business entrepreneur, marketing a brand of tomato clam Caesar cocktail called SeaCzar for three years.{{cite web |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/canadian-singer-bobby-curtola-dies-during-edmonton-visit |title=Canadian singer Bobby Curtola dies during Edmonton visit |last=French |first=Janet |date=June 5, 2016 |website=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Postmedia Network Inc. |access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=...a competing tomato drink called SeaCzar. They produced the drink in Edmonton for about three years before the business ran into trouble.}} Curtola founded companies that acquired hotel and truck stops throughout Canada, and in 1991 bid for ownership of the Ottawa Rough Riders. He was chief executive officer of Home Farms Technologies, a Canadian-based company which was attempting to develop an environmentally friendly waste management system for hog waste. It was a development stage company and has been inactive since 2005 according to Government of Canada records.{{cite web |url=http://www.positiveidea.com/portfolio/samplesites/technical/homefarms/index.htm |title=Home Farms Technologies: Water Reclamation |access-date=19 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20090107044538/http://www.positiveidea.com/portfolio/samplesites/technical/homefarms/index.htm |archive-date=January 7, 2009 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/scr/cc/CorporationsCanada/fdrlCrpDtls.html?corpId=4214242 |title=Home Farms Technologies |author=|date=May 16, 2016 |website=Ic.gc.ca|access-date=June 6, 2016 |quote=Date of Last Annual Meeting 2005-12-31}}
In 2011, he received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto.{{cite news |last=Connor |first=Kevin |url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/09/08/10783341-sun.html |title=Walking proud in Little Italy |newspaper=Toronto Sun |access-date=5 June 2016 |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408090535/http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/09/08/10783341-sun.html |url-status=dead }}
Bobby married Ava, his road manager's daughter in Edmonton in 1975. They had two boys Christopher in 1977 and Michael in 1979 .
Curtola's partner, Karyn Rochford, died in a car accident in Nova Scotia on December 15, 2015.{{cite news|title=Bobby Curtola's wife dies in Highway 103 crash|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/bobby-curtola-karyn-rochford-1.3367192|publisher=CBC News|date=December 16, 2015}}{{cite news|date=June 7, 2016 |title= 'It just hurt him so badly': Friend says Bobby Curtola died with broken heart |url= http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/it-just-hurt-him-so-badly-friend-says-bobby-curtola-died-with-broken-heart-1.2934361 |access-date=October 4, 2016|newspaper =CTV News}}
Curtola had been living in Edmonton, Alberta, Las Vegas, Nevada, and finally Port Mouton, Nova Scotia, but moved back to Edmonton in early 2016 after Rochford's death.
Curtola died at his home in Edmonton on June 4, 2016, at age 73.{{cite news|last= French |first= Janet |title= Bobby Curtola dies in Edmonton at 73 |url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/06/05/bobby-curtola-dies-in-edmonton-at-73|access-date=September 30, 2016|newspaper =Edmonton Sun |date=June 5, 2016}}{{cite news|date=June 5, 2016 |title= Bobby Curtola, Canadian former teen idol, dead at 73 |url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bobby-curtola-dead-1.3617348 |access-date=October 4, 2016|publisher =CBC News}} He was posthumously named into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2019.{{cite news |last1=Volmers |first1=Eric |title=Chilliwack, Andy Kim, Cowboy Junkies, Bobby Curtola honoured in first Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony |url=https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/local-arts/chilliwack-andy-kim-cowboy-junkies-bobby-curtola-honoured-in-first-canadian-music-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony |access-date=11 December 2022 |work=Calgary Herald |date=27 October 2019}}
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Album ! style="width:45px;"| CAN |
|---|
| 1961
| Hitch-Hiker | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1962
| Mr. Personality | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1963
| Truly Yours | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1964
| 12 Tickets to Cloud 9 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1965
| Love Story in Stereo | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1966
| Magic Moments | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1970
| Changes | style="text-align:center;"| 71 |
| 1971
| Curtola | style="text-align:center;"| 88 |
| 1972
| Songman | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1974
| Shake, Rock and Roll | style="text-align:center;"| 93 |
| 1976
| Stickin' With Beautiful Things | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1992
| Christmas Flashback | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1993
| Gotta Get Used to Being Country | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1998
| Turn the Radio Up | style="text-align:center;"| — |
=Compilation albums=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Album ! style="width:45px;"| CAN |
|---|
| 1966
| 12 Golden Hits | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1968
| Bobby Curtola's Greatest Hits Volume 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1977
| His Greatest | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1991
| 15 Greatest Hits | style="text-align:center;"| — |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="4"| Chart Positions |
|---|
| style="width:45px;"| CAN CHUM RPM ! style="width:45px;"| CAN AC ! style="width:45px;"| CAN Country ! style="width:45px;"| US |
| | 1960
| "Hand in Hand With You" | style="text-align:center;"| 26 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="3"| 1961
| "Don't You Sweetheart Me" | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "I'll Never Be Alone Again"
| style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Hitchhiker"
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="6"| 1962
| "Fortuneteller" | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 41 |
| "Johnny Take Your Time" (B-side to "Fortuneteller") | style="text-align:center;"| 10 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "You Must Belong To Me"
| style="text-align:center;"| 23 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "I Cry And Cry"
| style="text-align:center;"| 15 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Aladdin"
| style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 92 |
| "My Christmas Tree"
| style="text-align:center;"| 39 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="5"| 1963
| "Destination Love" | style="text-align:center;"| 22 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Gypsy Heart"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Indian Giver"
| style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Three Rows Over"
| style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Move Over"
| style="text-align:center;"| 24 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="5"| 1964
| "Little Girl Blue" | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "You're Not A Goody Goody"
| style="text-align:center;"| 31 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "As Long as I'm Sure of You"
| style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Come Home Little Girl"
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Alone and Lonely"
| style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="5"| 1965
| "It's About Time" | style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Mean Woman Blues"
| style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Walkin with My Angel"
| style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Makin' Love"
| style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Forget Her"
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="4"| 1966
| "While I'm Away" | style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Real Thing"
| style="text-align:center;"| 15 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Wildwood Days"
| style="text-align:center;"| 36 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "It's Not Funny Honey"
| style="text-align:center;"| 39 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="3"| 1967
| "Give Me A Reason To Stay" | style="text-align:center;"| 37 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Quando Quando Quando"
| style="text-align:center;"| 72 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Footsteps"
| style="text-align:center;"| 68 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="3"| 1968
| "Sandy" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Pretty Blue Eyes"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Step By Step"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="3"| 1969
| "Unless You Care" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Mammy Blue"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Gotta Give Love"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1970
| "Jean" | style="text-align:center;"| 39 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1971
| "Way Down Deep" | style="text-align:center;"| 74 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1973
| "Songman" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 32 | style="text-align:center;"| 83 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| 1976
| "Oh My Marie" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 23 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| rowspan="2"| 1990
| "Playin' the Shadows of Glory" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 31 | style="text-align:center;"| 25 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| "Drivin' Down a Phantom Road"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 52 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
See also
{{Portal|Music|Canada}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.bobbycurtola.com Official website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20051030021708/http://www.homefarmstech.com/ Home Farms Technologies website]
- [http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BobbyCurtola.html Rockabilly Hall of Fame] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006215623/http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BobbyCurtola.html |date=October 6, 2008 }}
- [http://worldjournal-gs.blogspot.ca/2012/05/canadian-1960s-singles-produced-by.html Singles discography]
- {{Discogs artist|Bobby Curtola}}
- [https://canadianbands.com/bobby-curtola/ Entry at canadianbands.com]
- [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bobby-curtola Entry at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca]
- {{IMDb name|1082875}}
{{Canadian Music Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtola, Bobby}}
Category:Businesspeople from Edmonton
Category:Businesspeople from Ontario
Category:Canadian people of Italian descent
Category:Del-Fi Records artists
Category:Members of the Order of Canada
Category:Musicians from Edmonton
Category:Musicians from Thunder Bay