When you look up "The History of Rock and Roll" at the library, a very familiar face will be found — it's Canada's Mr. Personality, Bobby Curtola!At the tender age of just 16, Thunder Bay's pride and joy set out on a rock and roll adventure that would take him around the world with more than 30 hit records, countless television appearances, and hours and hours of community involvement . . . "CURTOLAMANIA" had begun!
Bobby Curtola's list of #1 hit records includes Hand in Hand With You, Fortune Teller, Don't Sweetheart Me, Aladdin, Three Rows Over, Hitchhiker, Makin' Love, Corina Corina, and a host of others. Bobby has the distinction of being the first Canadian to earn a coveted Gold album. These great hits continue to be heard today on "oldies" radio around the world. Bobby was the man who opened the doors for many future Canadian stars — in an era well before Canadian content rules were dictated to radio stations!
Bobby has also been honoured with many acknowledgments and awards, some of which are:
- The first RPM award, now known as the Juno
- Inducted into the RPM Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame 1996
- City of Toronto declared April 21, 1996 "Bobby Curtola Day"
- Making the world's first jingle that sounded just like a top 40 record — which started the trend in advertising — with "Things go better with Coke"
The Howard Hughes Hotels of Las Vegas, Nevada, featured Bobby as a headliner for more than 20 years in their resorts with great success. He was the first performer to sign a multi-million dollar contract for a lounge performer in Las Vegas.
In January of 1998, Mr. Curtola was honoured with the Order of Canada for his commitment to being an ambassador for care around the world, for his humanitarian work, and for his pioneering success in Canadian Pop Music.
This year Bobby was honoured to be inducted as a member of the Ochapowace Tribe of Saskatchewan and is now a true brother to our country's first people.
During the '90s Bobby has been traveling internationally to South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. He has been recognized for his charitable work in Ecuador, where the Bobby Curtola Centre of the World Children's Foundation was formed in his honour. He will soon be receiving the Gold Medal of Merit for his charitable work in that country.
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WebMaster:
Bill Hillman
Bill
& Sue-On Hillman Eclectic Studio
Photos and Text Copyright 2000
- 2003/2006 Bobby Curtola
