<sod>  '''Bill Haley''' ([[July 6]], [[1925]] - [[February 9]], [[1981]]) was a [[rock and roll]] musician.
 
He was born in [[Detroit, Michigan]] and was raised in [[Pennsylvania]].  In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a country band called the Down Homers, after which he set out on his own. He made a number of unsuccessful [[country music]] singles in the [[1940s]], for several labels, including [[Cowboy Records]] [[1948]]-[[1949]] whilst working as a touring musician and later a DJ.  In [[1951]] he and his band, '''The Saddlemen''', changed styles, recording [[cover version]]s of [[Jackie Brenston]]'s "[[Rocket 88]]" and "Rock this Joint".  The relative success of the latter of these convinced Haley that he could be a successful rock and roller.  In [[1952]] The Saddlemen became [[Bill Haley & His Comets]], and in 1953 Haley's recording of his original composition, "Crazy Man Crazy" became the first rock and roll song to hit the American charts. 
 
 In 1953, a song entitled [[Rock Around the Clock]] was written for Haley, but he was unable to record it until April 12, 1954. Initially, it was unsuccessful, but Haley soon scored a major worldwide hit with a cover version of Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" which went on to sell a million copies. Haley and his band were important in launching the music known as "Rock and Roll" to a wider (white) audience after years of it being considered an underground movement.  When "Rock Around the Clock" appeared on the soundtrack of the 1955 film [[Blackboard Jungle]], it launched a musical revolution and opened the doors for the likes of [[Elvis Presley]]. Haley continued to score hits throughout the 1950s such as "See You Later Alligator" and he starred in the first rock and roll musical movies. His star was soon surpassed in the USA by the younger, sexier Elvis, but Haley continued to be a major star in Latin America and in Europe for the rest of his career. He made his final performances in [[South Africa]] in 1980. He was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1986.
 
 <eod> <sod> '''Bill Haley''' ([[July 6]], [[1925]] - [[February 9]], [[1981]]) was a [[rock and roll]] musician.
 
He was born in [[Highland Park, Michigan]] and was raised in [[Pennsylvania]].  In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a country band called the Down Homers, after which he set out on his own. He made a number of unsuccessful [[country music]] singles in the [[1940s]], for several labels, including [[Cowboy Records]] [[1948]]-[[1949]] whilst working as a touring musician and later a DJ.  In [[1951]] he and his band, '''The Saddlemen''', changed styles, recording [[cover version]]s of [[Jackie Brenston]]'s "[[Rocket 88]]" and "Rock this Joint".  The relative success of the latter of these convinced Haley that he could be a successful rock and roller.  In [[1952]] The Saddlemen became [[Bill Haley & His Comets]], and in 1953 Haley's recording of his original composition, "Crazy Man Crazy" became the first rock and roll song to hit the American charts. 
 
 In 1953, a song entitled [[Rock Around the Clock]] was written for Haley, but he was unable to record it until April 12, 1954. Initially, it was unsuccessful, but Haley soon scored a major worldwide hit with a cover version of Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" which went on to sell a million copies. Haley and his band were important in launching the music known as "Rock and Roll" to a wider (white) audience after years of it being considered an underground movement.  When "Rock Around the Clock" appeared on the soundtrack of the 1955 film [[Blackboard Jungle]], it launched a musical revolution and opened the doors for the likes of [[Elvis Presley]]. Haley continued to score hits throughout the 1950s such as "See You Later Alligator" and he starred in the first rock and roll musical movies. His star was soon surpassed in the USA by the younger, sexier Elvis, but Haley continued to be a major star in Latin America and in Europe for the rest of his career. He made his final performances in [[South Africa]] in 1980. He was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1986.
 
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