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Blue-eyed soul singer Bobby Paris was born and raised in New York City -- the product of a Puerto Rican family, he began singing with a neighborhood doo wop group called the Golden Keys in 1956. He signed with the Indigo label to issue his debut single "Rockin' Concerto" in 1960, followed a year later by the Magenta release "Dark Continent." Paris skipped from independent label to independent label over the next few years, landing with Jolar for 1962's "Is It You," Jairick for 1963's "Are You the One," and Chattahoochee for 1965's "Love Passed Me By." His first and biggest hit was 1966's "Night Owl" -- based on a melody Paris composed on piano at the age of five, the single was a huge hit and kept its struggling label Cameo/Parkway financially solvent.

Paris then signed to Capitol, making his label debut with the 1967 ballad "I Walked Away" -- the company also hired him on as a producer, and that same year, he co-produced Bobbie Gentry's country-pop classic "Ode to Billie Joe." Both "Per-So-Nal-Ly" and "Bye, Bye Blackbird" appeared in 1968, and after releasing a rendition of the Hair perennial "Let the Sunshine In" the following year, Paris was silent until 1973, when he issued two final Capitol singles, "Baby, Spread Your Love on Me" and ""Love Looks So Good on You." In the years to follow, "Night Owl," "I Walked Away," and "Per-So-Nal-Ly" all emerged as enduring anthems of Britain's Northern Soul club culture, a fact lost on Paris himself until he was contacted in 1999 to appear in the documentary film The Strange World of Northern Soul -- he later performed live at the film's premiere party as well

Bobby Paris

singles

Are You The One / Torch Is Out – 1963

Little Miss Dreamer / Who Needs You – 1963

Love Passed Me By / Fight – 1965

Night Owl / Tears On My Pillow - 1966

I Walked Away / Kansas City – 1967

Per-So-Nal-Ly / Tragedy - 1968

Bye, Bye Blackbird / Let Me Show You The Way – 1968

Let The Sunshine In / You – 1969

Baby, Spread Your Love On Me (Mono) / Baby, Spread Your Love On Me (Stereo) - 1973 (Promo Issue Only)

Baby, Spread Your Love On Me / You're A Friend – 1973

Love Looks So Good On You / Day Dreamer – 1973

Listen To The Strings (The Official Los Angeles Strings Theme Song)

Albums

Let Me Show You The Way - 1968

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