Ridgewood Herald-News from Ridgewood, New Jersey • 46

thfflfsday, September 30, 1971 DPDNYS Music Hebbs Life Style By MARLYS LEHMANN two- are man with- -sucha multitude 33; fs forming his'own re-' He started by going to au-On first meeting Bobby 8dr of talents and with so much cording studio, getting a dition on radio station WSM, Hebb, its hard to tell wheth- Bobby Hebb of Cresskill energy to pursue of Cresskill energy to pursue them all new song higher on the home of the Grand Ole charts, taking a course in Opry. Told by Jim Denny er it is his total immersion although best known for his that trying to follow his acta his music or his deep re- record, Sunny, which he tmties for just one day composed, wrote and sang, would leave toe ordinary and which went over the Pers0n ar behind, eleven million mark, is a Presently, Hebb, who is Jigious feeling which is the core of his personality, until Jt becomes clear that the law, playing golf in the 90s, Sr. to wait to get on the in appearing on television, fant television, Jhe younggoing on tour," writing music' ster -whose stock In trade for a movie, composing a was playing two tablespoons Broadway musical, building with one hand and the abili-a revue, planning a church ty to provide song and festival, and finding time to dance did wait until he ap-ride his bicycle one and a peared with bandleader half hours each morning, Owen Bradley. When he beginning at 5 a.m. later was hired by his child- His golf score was lod idol Roy Acoff, he be- achieved after playing only came the second Negro to three months, and it is his appear on Grand Ole Opry.

contention that the only way Before him came Deford to learn something is to ask Bailey, and after him came the experts. I had a ques- only one other black, Charlie Pride. His first record came out jn 1952. Somewhere along the way in the following years, Bobby found time to attend a school. There he met Lou Rawls for whom he was la-' tion, he explains, so 1 ter to write a song, his most called Lee Trevino long dis- recent, A Natural Man, tance to' ask him about it.

which is on toe charts and He attributes his remark- climbing. The lyrics were able energy to the fact that written by Sandy Baron, his he is a Leo. He became in- partner also in several other terested in astrology a. few musical undertakings, years ago and as he ap- Attendance at Tennessee proaches everything, de- state University where he voured the subject. Now it majored in psychology and is an important aspect of music, with a minor in edu-his life, but always in con- cation followed.

A two year junction with religion. stint in the Navy, stationed But his overriding joy Is in Taiwan, fit into his busy his music, sung, played and life also. He used toe time composed. He began in Nash to apply his music to his" Term. 30 yearS ago, service as a bugler, when he was a month over Afterwards came New three years old.

He was a York and the years of Sun-, song and dance man then, ny, with five citations on -he says, doing- toe- boogie hisTEving' room wall in rec-woogie. His hero in those ognition of its popularity, days and for yeafh to come then came nightclub acts, was Roy Acoff, but Hank Wil- television appearances on liams Sr. and Red Foley virtually every talk show, also played big parts in his tours, success and recogni-- career. lion. He married and moved His father, a musician to the sprawling ranch also, insisted he start out house on Harvard Street in right Bobby started on the Cresskill where he has lived trombone at three, gradu- for three years, ated to the bass a year Walking into the spacious, later, and by age eight was almost entirely white living BOBBY HEBB of Cresskill plays the bass, piano, guitar trombone and others Pg dle litJe, in addition to composing, studying law and playing good golf after only addetoriode rating to twelve year old before she agreed to return to Sunday school.

He plans a festival for St. Thereses Jl. Church, he says, not be- cause it is his church, buf because "Its part of my community and it needs money. He hopes gel the Isley Brothers and -Chuck Jackson to perform but says it must feature black and white singers. "Its got to be fudge royal, he says.

Other festivals for other churches are on his mind as well. Describing his own faith, Hebb says most people think "Sunny is about a girl. "Its not, he adds, its the great Creator. In essence the whole song is a prayer. Things balance for me after prayer.

He feels his music is means of bridging the generation-gap. I dont like to see 15 and 16 year olds estranged from their parents, he says. "I cant get into their affairs, but I can say something to them both musically. He studied psychology, he says, to get into himself buf finds his mothers wisdom Is what he seeks to understand. She tried to teach me, he says, to know the difference between anger and hurt Ego is the.

difference between the two. His convictions follow into his career. His new recording company, Black Records--will -have -the same restriction for all performers. The contract will be destroyed if any narcotics are involved. Ivo seen too much, he says, i dont believe anyone should use drugs as a crutch to cripple himself into a distorted ball of confusion.

My high is my mu-' He is composing both for Eskimo, which he hopes to see open on Broadway early next year and for toe movie, Johnny Sundown, on which hes working with Hampton- St. Paul Reese. The revue he plans for opening in Nashville Wil! be in a place owned by Vic Ames of toe Ames Brothers. Hebb hopes afterwards to bring it up to a New Y6rk nightclub. A friend described Bobby Hebb as a giver.

He is that, and much more. This young black man of Cherokee, German and Italian descent. Is the sort jof person who leaves an indelible mark even' when hes not singing, perhaps because he gives more than his time or his money. He gives of himself. He sums up bis own joy when he says, My philosophy is music all around.

I like it best when I see about 50 or 60 kids huddled togeth-. er who are starving for entertainment and you go out there and give them food for thoughts and try. to get them to go to their house of worship. Bobby Hebb says he thanks God not only for year, of his life but each moment. three months.

i 1 i IfrXvX- ments. his other attributes when he acquired the house. Musical instruments about and mementoes of Bobbys career are discreetly placed on tables and waits. Hebb lives In toe house with only his chauffeur. He dislikes driving.

But rarely Is the house empty if Bobby Is home. Friends, show business acquaintances, teenagers, children all flock to Bobbys The swim- ming pool is open always to all toe youngsters, but with strict instructions from its owner to wait just ten minutes, hon-- ey, and I'll be out with you. A little girl walked into the house one day while a visitor' was with Hebb. I hurt my knee, she wailed. Hebb fixed it, while the queried whether he wad a Hebbs nephew, Thomas, has come from Nashville to live with his uncle and will be attending Cresskill High School in the fall.

Three magnificently trained dogs, share his home. an Irish setter, is a bird dog and hunts with Hebb in South Jersey. But we shoot only what I will' eat, Hebb hastens to add. Alfie, a white German shepherd is trained to attack as is Star, a doberman pinscher. Hebb takes every opportu- nlty he has with the young people to bring them back to rellgioA, any religion.

He worked for a year with a Film On Location Whats1 Up, Doc, whicl co-stars Barbra Streisand and Ryan ONeil, was sho three weeks on location i San Francisco with the bal ance of the film photograph ed at Warner Bros, studio met while attending a Chicago dental technician school SUNNY, composed and. sung by Bobby topped the Jl million mark. His current song, A Natural Man was recorded by Lou Rawls, an old friend he.