Cue the Rockumentary theme on Turntable Two!
He had an Afro before there were Afros!
James Robert Byrd (1930-90) was born in Fort Worth and moved to Los Angeles at age 15. As a member of the R&B group the Hollywood Flames, he took the stage name Bobby Day. He went several years with only minor musical success.
In 1957, he formed the Satellites, after which he recorded three songs that became rock and roll classics. This single, Day’s greatest hit, sold over a million copies and was awarded a Gold Record.