Biography of Del Shannon

Singer/guitarist/songwriter Del Shannon burst on the scene in 1961 with his Buddy Holly-esque hit "Runaway." After "Little Town Flirt" and "Hats off to Larry," his own hits dried up, although Peter And Gordon scored big with a cover of his "I Go to Pieces." Shannon (real name Charles Westover) never recaptured his earlier chart-topping status through some awkward and unfortunate years with Liberty Records, although he once again found himself in demand in England during the late '60s and throughout the '70s. The use of "Runaway" in the Michael Mann TV series Crime Story during the early '80s returned him to public consciousness in America, prior to his death in 1990. ~ Bruce Eder