Feb. 3rd one of Fargo’s favorite sons, Bobby Vee released a new CD entitled: “Bobby Vee: The Adobe Sessions”. It was 55 years to the day when he and the Shadows took the stage at the Moorhead Armory after the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritcie Valens.

As most of you know, Bobby was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease a few years ago but he has never lost his passion for music. Bobby and his wife Karen now have a home in Tucson and it was there, in their Adobe style home, in the garage, where this LP was born.

According to Bobby’s son Tommy it started as just a session for recording a little music for the grandchildren, but Bobby and his sons knew they had something special and turned it into an album.

I’ve known Bobby for a long time and when they tore down the original Moorhead Arrmory (near the Moorhead Library) I went over to the demolition site and pulled out a couple of bricks before they hauled the debris away. I gave one to Bobby, when he had a show at Dike West. Kind of a memento of the beginning of his career. Yes I kept one too. It’s history baby!

I’ve also had the pleasure to MC a couple of his concerts around the anniversary of the Holly plane crash. We were down in Wahpeton with Bobby, Gary Lewis, and the original Crickets, Jerry Allison and Joe B. Mauldin. Gary Lewis was on stage when the fire alarm went off. The music was too loud so nobody heard it, and the lights were in back of the auditorium. Gary Lewis was in the middle of “This Diamond Ring” and didn’t know what to do so he looked at us, we smiled, and the show went on.. he kept singing. Turned out someone left the popcorn machine to catch some of the show and it burned, setting off the alarm. We all could laugh later.

Bobby also gave me a big surprise one day. I called and asked him if he wanted to talk about an album released a number of years ago. He said he’d loved to and I thought we were just going to have a phone conversation on the air. Bobby showed up at KFGO that afternoon and we spent a full 90 minutes, talking, taking phone calls and giving away some copies of the new CD. He surprised me by driving over two hours to Fargo to be on the show. That’s just the guy he is.

While Bobby is going through health problems, his wife Karen had a lung transplant and is now doing well. Tell me this family hasn’t had their challenges.

There was a surprise revealed on his website that absolutely nobody had a clue about Bobby Vee. He paints! If you check his website you’ll find some prints of his work for sale. Talking to his kids, they thought that maybe that’s what Dad’s occupation was at the time. Singing they thought might be a hobby.

Yes, he once fired Bob Dylan from his band. Yes he’s been on stage with them all including the Beatles. Bobby Keys who plays saxophone with the Rolling Stones once was with Bobby. He’s been in at least four films, been around the world and worked with the best in the recording industry. As his Tommy says, he started out in a garage band and has come full circle. He was given the North Dakota Roughrider Award in 1999. He’s a member of the North Dakota Music Hall of Fame and the Rock-a-Billy Hall of fame.

He truly is one of Fargo’s famous and favorite sons.

For more information on Bobby Vee and info on the new album “Bobby Vee: The Adobe Sessions” check out Bobby’s website at www/bobbyvee.com.