When and where was Tommy Roe born?
Thomas David Roe was born on the 9th of May 1942 in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Brown High School before graduating and taking a job at General Electric soldering wires.
Questions about Tommy Roe
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Tommy Roe write Sheila and why was it renamed?
Roe wrote the original song called Sheila in 1960 for a girl named Freda whom he had a crush on during high school. Local label owner Jud Phillips suggested changing the title because Freda was not a suitable name for a hit record after Aunt Sheila visited that weekend.
What year did Tommy Roe release Dizzy and how many copies did it sell by mid-April 1969?
His song Dizzy went to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. This transatlantic chart-topper sold two million copies by mid-April 1969 alone.
Why did Tommy Roe move to England and what happened with his single Diane From Manchester Square?
Following a successful tour by Roy Orbison, Roe decided to move to England where he lived for several years. In 1964 he recorded Diane From Manchester Square about a girl working at EMI House on London's Manchester Square but sales remained poor and it failed to chart despite the local connection.
When did Tommy Roe officially announce his retirement and when did he return to music?
On the 7th of February 2018 Roe officially announced his retirement on his Facebook page. He paused all activities until the 2nd of May 2022 when he released a new single titled 80 to commemorate his eightieth birthday.