Fans of early rock and roll music are mourning the passing of pioneering singer and actor Freddy Cannon. Cannon was known for several songs, but some of his most popular were “Palisades Park,” “Tallahassee Lassie,” and “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans.” He was 89.
According to Variety, a representative for Cannon stated that the singer passed away on July 17 at a Hospice facility after recently being diagnosed with cancer. His longtime friend, iHeart’s Tom Cuddy, also confirmed the news of Cannon’s passing.
GettyIt’s also worth noting that the singer had been scheduled for a July 11 interview with DJ “Cousin Brucie” Morrow. However, he was taken to the hospital the day before.
Tributes Are Pouring In For Freddy Cannon
Cannon was mostly active in the music industry from the late 1950s until 1965. During that time, he scored three Billboard Top 10 hits, including “Palisades Park,” “Tallahassee Lassie,” and “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans.” Because of his legacy, many of his fans are taking to social media to offer their condolences and tributes.
One of the first tributes came from Me-TV’s Rich Koz, who posts on X as Svengoolie. He said, “We got the heartbreaking news today that our dear friend, Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon has passed away. We were always flattered that he was such a fan and wrote songs about us, but the best part was becoming good friends. A very talented and good man- we will miss him.”
Someone else said, “Sad to learn of the passing on Friday, July 17th of ’50s and early ’60s pop music star Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon. Recorded ‘Palisades Park’, ‘Way Down Yonder In New Orleans ‘, & ‘Tallahassee Lassie’ aged 89.”
A different person wrote, “Rest in power, Boom Boom Cannon! Your hits still slap harder than ever. Legend.” Another fan remarked, “Another legend… rest in peace. To reach 89 is amazing… It’s a feat.”
More Tributes Are Pouring In
On Facebook, another fan recalled a memory involving his music. They wrote, “Our local radio station used to have contests where if you were first to call in when a contest song was played, you could win a free steak dinner at one of our restaurants by identifying the singer. I won one off of ‘Palisades Park’ in the middle 70’s. The kicker was I was driving in my car no cell phones in those days), so I had to make a mad dash for a pay phone.”
Lastly, someone else said, “Way Down Yonder has been one of my very best favorites since I bought it around 1961. ‘Tallahassee Lassie’ was totally unique in 1958 or ‘59.”
The ‘Tallahassee Lassie’ Singer Leaves Behind a Vast Legacy
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cannon is from Lynn, Massachusetts, where he also began his music career. Regarding “Tallahassee Lassie,” his first hit, an early recording of the track excited Dick Clark, who encouraged Cannon and his wife, Jeanette, to relocate to Philadelphia.
After that, the song was released in 1959, and it shot to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following year, he appeared on “American Bandstand,” which was famously hosted by Clark. Over the course of his career, Cannon appeared on the show 110 times.
Some of his other hits include “Jump Over,” “Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy,” and “Abigail Beecher.” He released his memoir, “Where the Action Is!,” in 2011. As an actor, Cannon appeared in works such as “No Time for Sergeants,” “Village of the Giants,” “Never Too Young and Svengoolie.”
Who?
B-list celebrity.