A 32nd Degree Mason, Bobby was a past master at Albert Pike Masonic Lodge No. 714 in Little Rock. He retired after 30 years with the City of Little Rock, the last years spent with the Office of Emergency Services. Prior to that, he was for a number of years employed in the circulation department of the Arkansas Democrat.
Bobby became a hit musical act with his Stardusters backup group in 1956, while still in high school. The next year, he signed a recording contract with O.J. Records and Hi Records, and recorded eight songs in 1957. His songs "I'm Really Serious" and "If You Loved Me" rose to No. 38 in the nation on the Top 40 Billboard Magazine Charts and sold more than 350,000 copies. The songs are part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
At the height of his fame in April, 1957, Bobby Chandler and the Stardusters gave a rock and roll concert, their first ever, in Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock and significantly, the opening act for Bobby and the Stardusters was Ray Charles.
Bobby retired from singing on the road in 1959, but continued to sing at pre-arranged venues in the Greater Little Rock area throughout the remainder of his life, and recorded a number of compact disks since 2004 at Blue Chair Records. He established a website, bobbychandlermusic.com and wrote in a class reunion biography, "I hope you will visit my website and listen to a sample of all eight CD's, plus a sample of a CD by my sister, Betty Chandler Ward, pianist, which has wonderful background music for any occasion.
Memorial Services will be 2:00pm Thursday, April 12, 2012 at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock, AR (501) 661-9111 with Reverend David Moore and longtime family friend the Reverend Fred Arnold of Pine Bluff. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: LRCHS Class of '56, C/O Mary Lou Cabbiness, 12815 Pleasant Forest Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212 or the Charity of your choice.
A 32nd Degree Mason, Bobby was a past master at Albert Pike Masonic Lodge No. 714 in Little Rock. He retired after 30 years with the City of Little Rock, the last years spent with the Office of Emergency Services. Prior to that, he was for a number of years employed in the circulation department of the Arkansas Democrat.
Bobby became a hit musical act with his Stardusters backup group in 1956, while still in high school. The next year, he signed a recording contract with O.J. Records and Hi Records, and recorded eight songs in 1957. His songs "I'm Really Serious" and "If You Loved Me" rose to No. 38 in the nation on the Top 40 Billboard Magazine Charts and sold more than 350,000 copies. The songs are part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
At the height of his fame in April, 1957, Bobby Chandler and the Stardusters gave a rock and roll concert, their first ever, in Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock and significantly, the opening act for Bobby and the Stardusters was Ray Charles.
Bobby retired from singing on the road in 1959, but continued to sing at pre-arranged venues in the Greater Little Rock area throughout the remainder of his life, and recorded a number of compact disks since 2004 at Blue Chair Records. He established a website, bobbychandlermusic.com and wrote in a class reunion biography, "I hope you will visit my website and listen to a sample of all eight CD's, plus a sample of a CD by my sister, Betty Chandler Ward, pianist, which has wonderful background music for any occasion.
Memorial Services will be 2:00pm Thursday, April 12, 2012 at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock, AR (501) 661-9111 with Reverend David Moore and longtime family friend the Reverend Fred Arnold of Pine Bluff. A visitation will be held one hour prior to services.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: LRCHS Class of '56, C/O Mary Lou Cabbiness, 12815 Pleasant Forest Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212 or the Charity of your choice.
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