One of the major musical stars of the 1960s and 1970s was Bobby Sherman. It’s difficult for me to think of even one buddy who didn’t have a crush on him at some point in the past.
Sherman had a successful career as an actor, had many albums recorded, had thousands of fans at his shows, and had sold millions of CDs. But eventually, at the height of his fame, he made the decision to permanently leave the entertainment industry.
This wasn’t, though, because the 79-year-old felt that his abilities had somehow declined. No, he was fighting for something much more important—saving lives.
Everything you need to know about the renowned artist Bobby Sherman is provided here!
Bobby Sherman was born in Santa Monica, California, on July 22, 1943, and raised in the nearby community of Van Nuys.
He was believed to have mastered the trumpet by the age of 11, as well as the piano, trombone, keyboard, and of course, the guitar. Sherman studied at Birmingham High. He joined a band there and developed a passion for singing. He apparently learned to play an astounding 16 instruments throughout the years.
In 1961, after receiving his high school diploma, Sherman enrolled at Pierce College in Woodland Hill, a city close to Los Angeles. There he would develop a relationship that would ultimately alter the trajectory of his life.
Sherman originally met his girlfriend while attending Pierce College to study child psychology. She made the choice to accompany him to a cast party for The Greatest Story Ever Told one evening.
At that point, Sherman had already begun to play music. He performed with various bands in the San Fernando Valley, and many people were aware of his talent. As a result, Sherman used the occasion to showcase his skills when he first showed up at the gathering.
“I was always the guy who had the gumption to get up and sing in front of people,” he later said of it.
Bobby had pals at the party who played in the band performing on stage, so that probably helped a little. Regardless, he stood up in front of everyone and sang “What I’d Say” by Ray Charles.
Unexpectedly across at a Hollywood party
Many celebrities from the entertainment industry were present because it was a Hollywood party. Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood, and Jane Fonda were among them.
They noticed his talent after the performance, so Mineo made the decision to mentor him.
“People were saying things like, ‘Who’s handling you’ I had no idea what that meant,” Sherman said.
“Well, I was a kid from Van Nuys, you know, and it was, `What do they mean, handling me?’ Then I realized they meant representation.”
He quickly gained an understanding of Hollywood. Three days later, an agency brought Bobby Sherman to an audition after receiving a tip from one of the partygoers. Bobby was offered a prominent role in the new television program Shindig.
Bobby just required that position, which lasted for two years, to leave his imprint. By that time, he had won the hearts of people all around the nation, and employment opportunities began to spring up everywhere.
Sherman guest starred on several other shows after Shindig was cancelled in 1966, including The Monkees, Honey West, and The FBI. Despite the fact that he had already begun to gain popularity in Hollywood, his major break came in 1968.
Here Come The Bridges featured Sherman as the stammering Jason Bolt, and he stayed on the show for the entire two years. At the conclusion of his stint, his character lost his stammer, and the program was ultimately cancelled.
When Jason Bolt made an appearance at a telethon in Buffalo, Sherman noticed how well-liked the persona of Jason Bolt was among viewers. He was suddenly more than just a rising star. Instead, he had achieved stardom.
“The show had just hit the air, and we didn’t even have any records out yet,” Sherman remarked.
“Greg Morris of Mission: Impossible and Robert Brown and I from Here Come The Brides had been asked to do the telethon, and it was going along and doing very well, when the fire marshall came in and said, ‘We have a problem. You’d better come up to the second floor; You’ve got to greet some people.’
“They opened up this window, and I looked out, and the parting lot of this television station was absolutely a sea of faces,” he added. “It was just unbelievable. And I got a clue then that something was happening.”
The following year became “kind of limbo” for Bobby. However, it was at that moment he turned his interest towards writing songs and trying out his eight-track recording equipment.
Bobby eventually found success as a singer despite not yet receiving much acclaim for his vocals.
Sherman’s young audience purchased millions of records from 1969 to 1971, during which time he also recorded hits including Julie, Do Ya Love Me, Easy Come, Easy Go, and Little Woman.
He sold one million copies of four distinct recorded albums and six different single recordings.
“A song begins with an idea – one line,” he said in 1971.” I build that into a complete lyric. Then, I fit the music around it.”
In 1970 and 1971, Sherman starred in the television show Getting Together, a The Partridge Family spinoff about two songwriters. Sherman then appeared in a number of other guest appearances.
His marriage to Patti Carnel, his first wife, in 1971, took place concurrently with Sherman’s ascent to stardom. Tyler and Christopher, the couple’s two boys, were born into the world.
Sherman made the decision to construct a scale model of Disneyland’s Main Street in his garden because he wanted his children to have a wonderful environment to grow up in. He apparently spent around $15,000 on it, and it took him about two and a half years to finish.
Not everyone was happy with the project; his wife was said to be annoyed by the constant noise of hammers.
“I didn’t know what home was”
“At one point, she said, ‘If you don’t finish it, I’ll kill you,” Sherman joked in an interview.
Bobby’s kids served as the catalyst for the creation of his own piece of Disneyland as well as his new line of work.
Before Shaun Cassidy or even David Cassidy, Bobby established himself as a genuine television adolescent heartthrob. Eventually, performers like Donny Osmond “replaced” him.
But Sherman was loved by millions of followers at the height of his fame and appeared in popular television shows while also making hit records.
His two most beloved albums were Sixteen and Tiger Beat.
Yet though he lived out his dream like few others ever get to do, Sherman explained that he would usually film five days a week, and even had evening shows on the weekend. Suffice to say, the busy schedule took its toll.
“It was so hectic for three years that I didn’t know what home was,” he explained.
“I was disoriented, I never knew where I was. I always had to be reminded. But, in all honesty, I must say I had the best of times because the concerts were great, the fans were great. It was the proverbial love-in, but it just zapped so much out of me.”
Then, in the midst of his enormous fame, Bobby made the surprising decision to transition to a completely different but equally significant career.
He ultimately made the decision to adjust his plans and gave up his career in music and television in order to save lives.
The rearing of his children was something Sherman took very seriously, and Patti, his then-wife, was frightened of blood. Accidents happen all the time, as any parent would attest, and Christopher and Tyler frequently trip and get hurt.
These falls occasionally caused minor cuts and wounds, including bloody knees. Sherman made the decision to enroll in several classes in order to be best equipped to handle such circumstances. He took an introductory course in first aid and CPR, and he later worked as a volunteer EMT.
“The very first call, I saved a little 5-year-old girl’s life. I thought, ‘yeah, that’s the most incredible feeling,’” Bobby recalled in a 1994 interview.
Sherman completed additional training and later worked for the Los Angeles Police Department as a first aid instructor for police officers.
Bobby was sworn in as a police officer with the LAPD and appointed chief medical training officer in 1992. He displayed amazing bravery in the face of difficulty in 1994, giving birth to five children while still in the field.
Sherman awoke to an earthquake on January 17, 1994, at his Encino, California, home. He made the choice to drive to the epicenter in his pickup rather than hide.
There were those who required assistance, while others needed first aid. Bobby’s knowledge and presence were required in any scenario.
Even though Bobby’s career transition put him in danger of dealing with a variety of challenging circumstances, he was still at heart an entertainer and had preserved many of his endearing traits from his time in the business. He even got to run into some of his previous supporters on the field.
He once related a tale about how paramedics from the Fire Department accompanied him on rescue calls due to his teen idol status.
“On one call in Northridge, we were working on a hemorrhaging woman who had passed out,” Bobby told The Times.
“Her husband kept staring at me. Finally, he said, ‘Look, honey, it’s Bobby Sherman!’ The woman came to with a start. She said, ‘Oh great, I must look a mess!’ I told her not to worry; she looked fine.”
Bobby kept on recording film and television scores in his makeshift studio over the years. In 1997, he made his final appearance on television as the star of an episode of Fraiser.
He performed on the “Teen Idol Tour” in the late 1990s with Peter Noone, Davy Jones, and Micky Dolenz of the Monkees. But after that, he made the decision to officially leave the entertainment industry.
Sherman thanked his followers for everything and said it was difficult to maintain the success.
“What I’ve done with my life, and what I’ve been able to accomplish, all comes down to the fact that I’ve been blessed by the fans. It’s stayed with me, so I can have the opportunity to do things that I really love doing,” the star mentioned.
“I don’t think I’d change a thing — except to maybe be a little bit more aware of [the success], because I probably could’ve relished the fun of it a little more,” Sherman admitted. “It was a lot of work. It was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. But it was the best of times.”
Bobby Sherman wed his second-wife Brigette in 2011, and they are still married to this day. The same year they tied the knot, they founded The Brigitte and Bobby Sherman Children’s Foundation, a Ghana-based youth center dedicated to blending music and education.
Today, Bobby is 79 years of age. I think you’ll all agree, though, that he looks very much like himself, as he’s retained much of his familiar appearance!
Bobby Sherman was an outstanding actor and entertainer, and we will always miss those great years!