American rock 'n' roll and rockabilly singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He became famous for songs including “Twenty Flight Rock,” “C’mon Everybody” and “Summertime Blues,” which reached No. 8 in the US in
1958; in
1960, “Three Steps To Heaven” reached No. 1 in Britain. He experimented with multitrack recording, distortion and overdubbing as early as his first singles and played guitar, piano, bass and drums. He died on April 17, 1960, at the age of 21 in a car accident while touring in Britain; songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent were also in the car and survived the crash.
