Charles Weedon Westover was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on
December 30, 1934. He was working days as a carpet salesman and
nights as a club performer when his keyboardist, Max Crook, happened
upon an unusual chord progression.  The two worked it into a song,
“Runaway,” and recorded it for Big Top Records.
 
“Runaway” introduced the musitron, an early kind of synthesizer, and
hit #1 in April 1961. It also introduced to the world “Del Shannon,” a
stage name Charles concocted from that of a friend, Mark Shannon, and
the Cadillac Coupe de Ville automobile (Cad-DEL-ac).  At the same
session, a follow-up hit, “Hats Off To Larry,” was also recorded. 
There was even a third Top 40 entry in 1961: “So Long Baby.”
 
Following his 1962 hit “Little Town Flirt,” Del went to England,
where he appeared in the movie It’s Trad, Dad.  While touring
with the up-and-coming Beatles, Shannon asked for permission to
record and release one of their songs in the U.S.  John Lennon replied,
“That would be great, mate,” allowing Del to become the first
American artist to score with a Beatles song (“From Me To You”)
in the United States.  Shannon’s 1964 hits (on the Amy label)
were also fresh interpretations of other artists’ material: Jimmy Jones’
“Handy Man” and Bobby Freeman’s “Do You Wanna Dance.”
 
While touring in 1965, “someone cut all of our tires,” Del recalled.
“I didn’t mind because I had a really hot song in my pocket --
an idea.  We’ll follow the sun.”  From that came ”Keep Searchin’,”
his final Top 10 success.  Its follow-up, “Stranger In Town,” reached #30.
Shannon’s song “I Go To Pieces” became a Peter & Gordon hit
in 1966.  In 1969, he discovered the group Smith and arranged their
hit, “Baby It’s You.”  The next year, he produced Brian Hyland’s
”Gypsy Woman.”  Elton John’s 1973 chart-topper “Crocodile Rock”
was a salute to the sound of Del’s ”Runaway.”
 
Shannon was largely inactive in the ‘70s, due to alcoholism and
depression.  A “lifetime contract” he’d signed before cutting “Runaway”
had robbed him of all his songwriting and recording royalties.  Near the
end of his life, Del was finally able to buy back that agreement and
gain ownership of his life’s work.
 
Tom Petty produced Shannon’s final hit, 1981’s “Sea Of Love” (his first
chart entry in 16 years).  Backing Del on that record was
Petty’s own band, The Heartbreakers.
 
Restlessness, loneliness and heartbreak were recurring themes
in Del Shannon’s music -- and life.  On February 8, 1990, he shot
himself to death.  Nine years later, Del Shannon entered
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.