Bill Haley & His Comets was an American rock and roll band formed in 1947 and continuing until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group recorded nine Top 20 singles, one of which was number one and three that were Top Ten. The single "Rock Around the Clock" was the best-selling rock single in the history of the genre and maintained that position for several years.
Francis Eugene Beecher was the lead guitarist for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962, and is best remembered for his innovative guitar solos combining elements of country music and jazz. He composed the classics "Blue Comet Blues", "Goofin' Around", "Week End", "The Catwalk", and "Shaky" when he was the lead guitarist for Bill Haley and the Comets. He continued to perform with surviving members of the Comets into 2006. In 2012, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Beecher as a member of the Comets by a special committee, aimed at correcting the previous mistake of not inducting the Comets with Bill Haley.
John Andrew Grande was a member of Bill Haley's backing band, The Comets.
William Famous Williamson was the American steel guitar player for Bill Haley and His Saddlemen, and its successor group Bill Haley & His Comets, from 1949 to 1963.
Don't Knock the Rock is a 1956 American musical film starring Alan Dale and Alan Freed. Directed by Fred F. Sears, the film also features performances by Bill Haley & His Comets, Little Richard, The Treniers, and Dave Appell and the Applejacks.
Rudolph Clement Pompilii was an American musician best known for playing tenor saxophone with Bill Haley and His Comets. He was usually credited under the alternate spelling Rudy Pompilli and occasionally as Rudy Pell.
Shake, Rattle and Roll is the title of an early rock and roll compilation album issued by Decca Records in 1955, and featuring music by Bill Haley & His Comets. The album, which was issued in a 10-inch format, consisted of recordings previously issued on singles in 1954 and 1955, including the title track, and "Rock Around the Clock", although at the time of this album's release in early 1955, "Rock Around the Clock" had not yet become a major hit. This was Haley's second album, and was one of the first album-length releases of the rock and roll era, predating the release of Elvis Presley's first album by a year.
Rockin' the Oldies was the fifth album of rock and roll music by Bill Haley and His Comets. Produced by Milt Gabler, the album was released by Decca Records in 1957. It was the first of three "themed albums" that Haley recorded for Decca. On this occasion the album consisted of re-recordings of popular standards, some dating back 30 years or more, but rearranged in a rock and roll style. For example, Haley's version of Larry Clinton's "The Dipsy Doodle" included new lyrics referring to Haley's past hits, "Shake, Rattle and Roll" and "See You Later Alligator". The album did not produce any hit singles.
Rockin' Around the World was the sixth album of rock and roll music by Bill Haley and His Comets. Released in March 1958 on the Decca Records label, Decca 8692, the album was produced by Milt Gabler, who produced all of Haley's recordings for Decca. It was the second of three "themed" albums that Haley produced for the label. This album featured versions of well-known folk songs from around the world, rearranged in rock and roll style, including new lyrics, by Haley and his songwriting partners, Milt Gabler, Rusty Keefer, and Catherine Cafra. It is not known how much, if any, input Haley himself had into the writing process.
Rockin' the Joint is a compilation album of rock and roll music by Bill Haley & His Comets. Released on Decca Records in August 1958, it was the group's seventh album. The album consisted of recordings that, for the most part, had only been released previously as singles or on EPs; all of the recordings were produced by Milt Gabler. The title comes from the album's lead track, a 1957 re-recording of Haley's 1952 hit, "Rock the Joint", which was labelled "New Rock the Joint" on this release. Also included for the first time on album were the hits "See You Later Alligator", "Rip it Up", and "The Saints Rock and Roll". One track, "The Beak Speaks", was an instrumental featuring guitarist Franny Beecher, while "Rock Lomond" was a leftover from the recording sessions for the band's previous album, Rockin' the Oldies and is the only track on the album that had not previously been released. The only track copied from a previous Haley album is "Burn That Candle", which was also included on the Rock Around the Clock compilation.
Bill Haley's Chicks was the eighth album of rock and roll recordings by Bill Haley & His Comets for Decca Records, Decca 8821. Released in January 1959 and produced by Milt Gabler, the album was the third "theme" album Haley recorded for Decca, following Rockin' the Oldies and Rockin' Around the World. This album is built on the theme of women's names, with each song being about a different girl. Included on the album is "Skinny Minnie", which was a major hit for the band in 1958, reaching no.22 on Billboard and no.25 on Cashbox, along with a mixture of originals and cover versions of standards and jazz songs. "Lean Jean", a song musically and thematically almost identical to "Skinny Minnie", also charted in 1958, reaching no. 52 on Cashbox. The song "B.B. Betty", co-written by Bill Haley and released as a Decca 45 single, featured a solo vocal by Haley's steel guitar player, Billy Williamson.
Recorded over the span of more than 18 months, Strictly Instrumental was the ninth rock and roll album by Bill Haley & His Comets, and their final album of new material for Decca Records. Produced by Milt Gabler, the album collects instrumental recordings made by Haley and the Comets between June 1958 and their final Decca recording sessions in September 1959.
Bill Haley and His Comets is the title of the tenth album of rock and roll recordings by Bill Haley & His Comets. Released in April 1960, it was the band's first album release for Warner Bros. Records, following their departure from Decca Records at the end of 1959. The recordings were produced by George Avakian, who succeeded Haley's Decca producer, Milt Gabler.
Haley's Juke Box: Songs of the Bill Haley Generation, was the eleventh studio album by Bill Haley & His Comets. Released by Warner Bros. Records in the summer of 1960, the album was produced by George Avakian.
"Skinny Minnie" is a 1958 song co-written and recorded by Bill Haley and his Comets. The song was released as a Decca single which became a Top 40 chart hit in the U.S., peaking at #22 on the Billboard chart.
"Rudy's Rock" is a 1956 instrumental composed by Bill Haley and Rudy Pompilli and released as a Decca single. The song appeared in the 1956 Columbia Pictures movie Rock Around the Clock. The single peaked at #34 on Billboard and #26 in the UK on the Record Retailers chart.
"Birth of the Boogie" is a 1955 song composed by Bill Haley with Billy Williamson and Johnny Grande. The song was released as a Decca single by Bill Haley and His Comets, peaking at #17 on the Billboard singles chart.
Bill Haley & His Comets recorded many singles and albums. The following list references only their original release and generally does not include compilation albums or single reissues. This list does not include releases on which the Comets worked as session musicians, and primarily focuses on releases during Haley's lifetime.
"Hot Dog Buddy Buddy" is a 1956 rock and roll song composed by Bill Haley and released as a Decca single and also on Brunswick. The song appeared in the 1956 Columbia Pictures movie Don't Knock the Rock. The single peaked at #36 on the Cash Box pop singles chart.
"R-O-C-K" is a 1956 rock and roll song recorded and co-written by Bill Haley and released as a Decca single. The song appeared in the 1956 Columbia Pictures movie Rock Around the Clock. The single peaked at #16 on Billboard.
