Bill Haley Biography

Fast Facts

• His 1954 recording of "Rock Around the Clock" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982
• Was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, with his son Pedro representing him at the ceremony
• The International Astronomical Union named an asteroid 79896 Billhaley in 2006 to mark the 25th anniversary of the singer's death
• Started his career in country and western music as a member of the Downhomers and musical director for the Saddlemen
• Quote: "Frankly, our market is the teenagers․ They are the ones we constantly try to please․ We keep very close to them, listening for their new expressions and asking what they want in the way of music․"
• Quote: "We put country and western together with rhythm and blues, and that was rock․ The first three years were ours, all ours, till Presley came along․"
• Helped bring rock and roll into the mainstream with the success of his band's single "Rock Around the Clock․"
• Was the bandleader of Bill Haley and His Comets, one of the first rock and roll bands
• Started to write an autobiography called "The Life and Times of Bill Haley," but died with only 100 pages completed
• The Bill Haley Museum was opened to the public in 2007