{"id":8,"date":"2009-07-23T21:23:20","date_gmt":"2009-07-24T04:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com.s72150.gridserver.com\/en\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2014-12-06T12:56:59","modified_gmt":"2014-12-06T18:56:59","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/biography\/","title":{"rendered":"BIOGRAPHY"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"bio1\"<\/p>\n

In the fall of 1959, sixteen-year-old high school student Bobby Curtola went from pumping gas at his father\u2019s garage in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to the life of a Teen Idol. Who would have known that within a year he would go from playing in his basement band \u201cBobby and the Bobcats\u201d to recording his first hit single \u201cHand In Hand With You\u201d. After performing on the Bob Hope Show in 1960, the charismatic Bobby, with his handsome boy next door looks was quickly finding himself within a whirlwind that we now refer to as \u201cCurtolamania.\u201d
\n \"bio2\"<\/p>\n

Bobby set out on his first Western Canadian Tour in the fall of 1960. From there Bobby went on to become a trailblazer, establishing the first coast to coast tour circuit in Canada. Within the next year he was recording in Nashville with Bill Porter for RCA Studios, where he continued to record for many years.<\/p>\n

The hit \u201cFortune Teller\u201d was released in 1962 and went Gold in Canada. The now Rock n\u2019 Roll Hall of Fame DJ, Red Robinson, was instrumental in Fortune Teller\u2019s success. Seeing its potential internationally, he sent it to Seattle\u2019s KJR and Hawaii\u2019s KPOI radio. A major US record deal was signed and Fortune Teller went on to become a 2.5 million seller internationally! Bobby was invited to tour with Dick Clark and his Cavalcade of Stars. While on tour in England that same year, Bobby met The Beatles and appeared on the famous British TV variety show \u201cThank Your Lucky Stars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"bio3\"<\/p>\n

In June of 1964, Bobby became the first pop singer to record a jingle that sounded like a \u201cTop 40 Hit Single,\u201d the song was \u201cThings Go Better with Coke.\u201d He signed an exclusive contract with Coca-Cola to be their #1 Spokesman. Bobby, also co-wrote \u201cThe Real Thing\u201d which was used for the commercial \u201cCoke\u2019s The Real Thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"bio4\"<\/p>\n

Bobby success continued on television, starting with American Bandstand. It also included appearances on the world famous Wolf Man Jack Show. He later became the first recording artist to host two Network Canadian TV shows. The After Four Show on CFTO starting in 1965, and the Shake, Rock and Roll Show on CTV in 1973. Bobby was also host to many of the Miss Canada and Miss Teen Canada Pageants.<\/p>\n

The sixties, with hit after hit for Bobby, included 25 Canadian Gold singles and 12 Canadian Gold albums.<\/p>\n

The year 1972 became a turning point for Bobby. He made the transition from \u201cteen idol\u201d to the \u201chighest paid entertainer\u201d in Canada. Ready for his debut in Las Vegas, Walter Kane, from the Hughes Hotel chain, signed Bobby to a five year multi-million dollar contract. This made him the first Canadian entertainer to receive a long term contract in Las Vegas. Bobby continued a very successful career in Vegas for over twenty years.<\/p>\n

\"bio4\"<\/p>\n

In 1990 Bobby released his Christmas Flashback CD, which went gold. He went on that same year to produce his 15 Great Hits CD, on the RCA label. He also began his relationship with The Princess Cruises, performing in the Caribbean and Mediterranean on the Love Boat for the next twelve years.<\/p>\n

\"biopic\"In 1998 Bobby produced an anthology of his hits. The eight CD boxed set is a pictorial documentation of Bobby\u2019s career. The set includes a duet with Buddy Miles, and the song \u201cPrecious<\/p>\n

Memories,\u201d which Bobby wrote in memory of Elvis. The CD collection spans four decades, and contains 171 songs that Bobby has performed and recorded.
\n In March 1998, Bobby launched his \u201cStand By Me Tour\u201d in Vancouver, and set out on the road performing coast to coast to sold out houses once again. After each show, Bobby was there in his usual form, happy to autograph the tour memorabilia purchased by the long lines of his fans.<\/p>\n

\"biopic\"
\n Since 1963, when Bobby became an international success with \u201cFortune Teller,\u201d he has maintained his \u201cStar Status\u201d all over the world. In 1999 Bobby started his Millennium Tour in Malaysia. He performed in many countries and presented his memorabilia to countless Hard Rock Cafes throughout Asia.\u00a0In 2000, in Bali, Bobby performed at the Hard Rock Hotel and produced the video for Asian superstar Corrina at one of the world\u2019s oldest Hindu water temples. Bobby then starred in a Rock n\u2019 Roll TV program in Jakarta, Indonesia, and produced a Christmas TV special in Malaysia.
\n Bobby embarked on a European tour in 2001 and visited France, Italy, Switzerland, and England. 2002 was an exciting year with Bobby starring in Sock Hop Reunions throughout Canada.<\/p>\n

\"biopic\"<\/p>\n

Bobby has demonstrated an international conscience with his donation of an enormous amount of time and energy toward the cause of the less fortunate. Bobby is involved in many charities and has hosted numerous telethons coast to coast in Canada every year. His global contributions include charitable works in Indonesia, Bulgaria, the Jerry Lewis Telethon in the USA and the Bobby Curtola Foundation for Children in Ecuador.<\/p>\n

\"biopic\"<\/p>\n

For his humanitarian efforts within Canada and his major pioneering contribution to Canadian Pop Music, Bobby Curtola received Canada\u2019s highest honour \u201cThe Order of Canada\u201d on May 7, 1998. For his contributions and his establishment of his children\u2019s foundation in Ecuador, he was also awarded \u201cThe Gold Medal of Merit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the years, Bobby has performed and befriended many of the most influential musicians of all time including: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Mick Jagger, The Rat Pack, Roy Orbison, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Canadian icons Michael Buble, The Guess Who, Celine Dion, and many more.<\/p>\n

AWARDS<\/h3>\n

\u203a One of the first Canadian artists to receive the RPM Gold Leaf Award in 1966 for Top Male Vocalist (now known as the Juno Award)
\n \u203a Inducted into The RPM Magazine Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame by Walt Grealis
\n \u203a Toronto made April 26, 1996 Bobby Curtola Day
\n \u203a Awarded the keys to the cities of Toronto, Hamilton, Calgary, Edmonton and Brandon.
\n \u203a Honored with the naming of the street \u201cBobby Curtola Drive\u201d in Thunder Bay, ON, September 27, 2003<\/p>\n

ACCOMPLISHMENTS<\/h3>\n

\u203a Received the First Canadian Registered Gold Album
\n \u203a A pioneer, instrumental in the early stages of the Canadian Content ruling (the beginning of the CRTC)
\n \u203a One of the first artists to be a partner in his own publishing, recording and concert promotion companies
\n \u203a Inducted into the Coca Cola Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in 1997
\n \u203a May 7, 1998 \u201cThe Gold Medal of Merit\u201d and \u201cThe Order of Canada<\/p>\n

Known for his innovation, wealth of talent and his immense humanitarianism, Bobby Curtola is truly \u201cCanada\u2019s Greatest Rock n\u2019 Roll Legend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bobby Curtola is not one in a million, HE IS one of a kind!<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the fall of 1959, sixteen-year-old high school student Bobby Curtola went from pumping gas at his father\u2019s garage in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to the life of a Teen Idol. Who would have known that within a year he would go from playing in his basement band \u201cBobby and the Bobcats\u201d to recording his first [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":56,"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":848,"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/bobbycurtola.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}