Bob Montgomery (songwriter)

Bob Montgomery (May 12, 1937 – December 4, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer/publisher.

Montgomery was born in Lampasas, Texas, United States. He was a songwriting partner and best friend of Buddy Holly, performing together as the duo "Buddy and Bob" while teenagers in high school. Initially, they were playing a variety of bluegrass music that evolved to the rockabilly sounds.^[1]

Montgomery met Holly at Hutchinson Junior High School in Lubbock, Texas, in 1949. They joined up and started playing at school assemblies and on local radio shows. Montgomery sang lead and Holly harmonized. They soon had a weekly Sunday radio show on station KDAV.^[2] On October 14, 1955, Bill Haley & His Comets did a concert at the Fair Park Auditorium which also featured Montgomery, Holly and bassist Larry Welborn on the bill.^[1] Eddie Crandall, Marty Robbins' manager, spoke to KDAV station owner Pappy Dave Stone and told him he was interested in Holly as a solo performer. Holly's career then began after demo recordings of his music were made and sent to Decca Records.^[3]

Montgomery co-wrote some of Holly's songs, such as "Heartbeat", "Wishing", and "Love's Made a Fool of You". He wrote the pop standard "Misty Blue" and, for Patsy Cline, "Back in Baby's Arms". His son Kevin recorded a version of this, which appeared on his album True. Montgomery produced Bobby Goldsboro's 1968 #1 hit "Honey".

Montgomery died on December 4, 2014 in Lee's Summit, Missouri, of Parkinson's disease. He was 77.^[4]

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