Bobby Doyle (jazz vocalist)


Robert Glen "Bobby" Doyle was an American singer, bassist, and pianist. He is best known for his early work with a young Kenny Rogers and for a brief stint with Blood, Sweat & Tears. He played piano on two tracks on BS&T's 1972 album New Blood.
Doyle joined the doo-wop group The Spades in 1957 while still at McCallum High School in Austin. In 1960 he formed The Bobby Doyle Three with Don Russell and standup bass player Kenny Rogers, then a student at the University of Texas. Rogers soon dropped out of college to join Doyle full-time, singing high harmony and playing bass on the 1962 album In A Most Unusual Way. The group appeared at clubs across the country including the New York Playboy Club in 1962. The trio disbanded in 1965, and Rogers went on to become a country-pop sensation.
Doyle continued as a solo artist, releasing multiple singles and albums including an appearance on the soundtrack for the 1971 film Vanishing Point. In the 1980s, Doyle on piano, Rick Moses on bass and William Walton on drums, backed Brunswick recording artist Sunny Nash.
In the mid-1990s, Rogers reunited with Doyle and Russell as part of a special concert called "Going Home" where Rogers sang a selection of his greatest hits and favorite songs. The original Bobby Doyle Trio line-up performed "It's A Good Day" with Doyle on lead vocals.
Doyle was born blind as a result of his mother contracting German measles during pregnancy. An operation in 1959 to restore his sight, paid for by his high school friends, was unsuccessful.

Discography

Singles
The Spades
The Slades
Bobby Doyle and The Ideals
Bobby Doyle Three
Bobby Doyle
Albums
Bobby Doyle ThreeIn A Most Unusual Way, Columbia Records CL-1858, New York, 1962
Bobby DoyleThe Bobby Doyle Introductory Offer, Warner Bros. Records 1744, 1968 Nine Songs, Bell Records 1115, New York, 1973
Appearances
Spades/SladesThe Domino Records Story, Ace Records CDCHD 506, 1998 - "Baby", "You Mean Everything To Me", "The Waddle", "You Cheated", "Right Here", "After You've Gone", "No Time", "You Gambled", "I Cheated", "Just You", "It's Better To Love", "Summertime", "You Must Try", "It's Your Turn", "Take My Heart", plus previously unreleased tracks "So Tough", "Little Star", "I've Had It", "In The Still Of The Night", "Ling-Ting-Tong", "Gee Whiz"Rockin' Rollin' Vocal Groups, Volume 1, Cham 181177, 1980 - "The Waddle"Rock-A-Billy Boppin', White Label WLP8842, 1982 - "The Waddle"Give That Love To Ray Campi, Domino DLP-1001, 1987 - "You Cheated", "The Waddle", "No Time", "You Gambled"Fabulous Flips, Volume 3, Ace Records, 1995 - "The Waddle"
Bobby Doyle ThreeKenny Rogers - Through The Years: A Retrospective, Capitol Records 8331832, 1999 - "Don't Feel Rained On", "Fly Me to the Moon", "My Mammy"
Bobby DoylePoco, Epic Records BN 26522, 1970 - piano on unspecified tracksVanishing Point soundtrack, Amos Records AAS8002, 1971 - "The Girl Done Got It Together"At The Rockhouse Volume 8, Eagle Records LP 318, 1983 - "Hot Seat"Teenage Favorites, Anima Records, 1994 - "Hot Seat"Rock Pretty Baby Volume 3, Little Miss Sheena Records, 1997 - "Hot Seat"Rock Til You Drop!, Classics Records, 2002 - "Chug-A-Lug"Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel, 2009 - "Blowin' in the Wind" Teen Scene! Vol. 5, Buffalo Bop Records 55015, 2009 - "Pauline"Back Beat Presents - Rock and Roll Party, Lesley Records, 2013 - "Pauline"The Texas Box - 1950s and 1960s Oddball Labels, Be! Sharp Records, 2013 - "Hot Seat", "Chug-A-Lug"

Honors