Tommy Roe’s “Sweet Pea” is today’s classic song of the day. Released in June of 1966, this single went to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Sweet Pea” was written by Tommy Roe and the recording was produced by Gary S. Paxton, who also produced “Alley Oop” for the Hollywood Argyles and “Monster Mash” for Bobby “Boris” Pickett.
Tommy Roe was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He got his big break in 1960 when he signed with Judd Records and first released his song “Sheila,” which did okay locally. He moved to ABC-Paramount in 1962 and re-recorded “Sheila;” that new version became his first big hit, going all the way to #1 on the charts. Mr. Roe went on to have a decade-long career; his other big hits, all in the bubblegum genre, included “Everybody” (#3 in 1963), “Hooray for Hazel” (#6 in 1966), “Dizzy” (#1 in 1969), and “Jam Up and Jelly Tight” (#8 in 1969).
While his recording career pretty much ended with the dawn of the new decade, Tommy Roe continued to perform for many years after. He officially retired in 2018, although he returned to the biz and released a new album in 2023. He’s currently 83 years old.
And here’s today’s daily bonus video of the day, “Tommy Roe” lip-synching “Sweet Pea” on the television show Where the Action Is in 1967. C’mon and dance with me!
