Bobby Pickett
Robert George Pickett (February 11, 1938 – April 25, 2007), better known as Bobby "Boris" Pickett, was an American singer, songwriter, and comedian. He is best known for co-writing and performing the 1962 smash hit novelty song "Monster Mash".
Bobby Pickett | |
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Pickett in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert George Pickett |
| Also known as | Bobby Boris Pickett |
| Born | February 11, 1938 Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 2007 (aged 69) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Novelty, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, writer, comedian |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1959–2007 |
| Labels | Garpax Records |
Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, Pickett watched many horror films as a result of his father's position as a local movie theater manager. He started improvising impressions of Hollywood film stars at a young age. At a turning point in his career, Pickett was a vocalist for a local swing band called Darren Bailes and the Wolf Eaters. He would later serve in the United States Army from 1956 to 1959, and was stationed in Korea for a period of time.
He co-wrote his signature song, "Monster Mash", with Leonard Capizzi in May 1962 as a spoof of popular contemporary dance crazes. Pickett's performances include impersonations of Boris Karloff (The Mummy (1932)) and Bela Lugosi (Dracula (1931)), and although many major labels declined to distribute the song, Gary S. Paxton agreed to release it in the United States. "Monster Mash" was met with instant success and peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in October 1962, including Halloween. The song was certified gold by the RIAA on August 28, 1973. The song has since re-charted three more times—in 1970, 1973 (when it reached the Top Ten) and 2021.
Though Pickett never achieved the same success as he did with "Monster Mash" on charts, he continued to lend his voice to further parodies and other songs throughout the rest of his life. Pickett also made appearances on television, film, and radio as a guest star, narrator, actor, and disc jockey. He released Monster Mash: Half Dead in Hollywood, an autobiography, in 2005. Pickett died of leukemia on April 25, 2007, at age 69.