Bob Luman

Born Apr 15, 1937 in Nacogdoches, TX - Died Dec 27

Bob Luman started out as a rockabilly performer, switched to country and then in the late '50s nearly ditched the music industry altogether. Through his teens, Luman was primarily interested in singing country music like his idol Lefty Frizzell, but then he saw Elvis, which inspired him to try his hand at the rockabilly sound. Soon after graduating, Luman won a talent contest, leading to his debut on the Louisiana Hayride. He became a regular in the mid-'50s, and had a small role in the 1957 film Carnival Rock; still, his singles did nothing on the charts. In 1959, the Pittsburgh Pirates offered Luman a contract; fed up with his lack of success, he announced his intention to accept the offer during a concert one night. However, the Everly Brothers talked him into recording the Boudleaux Bryant song "Let's Think About Living"; sure enough, it was a Top Ten hit on both the country and pop charts. His follow-up, "The Great Snowman," was also a hit, but he was drafted, and spent the next two years in the military. In 1964, he began recording for Hickory Records, and the following year, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Luman eventually signed with Epic Records and had a string of Top 25 hits over the next ten years. He toured extensively and became the first country singer to perform in Puerto Rico; he also remained a regular on the Opry, where his lively performances veered close to rock & roll at times. Luman had a major heart attack in 1975, and it took him nearly five months to recover. His final chart appearance came in 1977; the following year he contracted pneumonia and died at the age of 41.

Discography: