Jerry Paul Keller (born June 20, 1937) is an American pop singer and songwriter,[1] best known for his 1959 hit song "Here Comes Summer".[2]
Career
Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas,[3] Keller moved with his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was six,[2] and Keller attended Tulsa's Will Rogers High School, graduating in 1955. He was known as a vocal soloist in various school productions, and was often invited to do guest vocals with top bands touring the area. He formed the group and was a member of the Tulsa Boy Singers.[2]
Keller attended the University of Tulsa and moved to New York in 1956. Pat Boone, a friend from church, recommended Marty Mills as Keller's manager.[2]
Keller's biggest self-penned hit was 1959's "Here Comes Summer". In 1959 it climbed to No. 14 in the Billboard Hot 100. The record reached No.1 in the UK for a week from October 9, 1959,[4][5] but a lack of further chart appearances saw Keller branded as a one-hit wonder in Britain.[5]
Keller went on to be a number-one-call vocalist for television jingles throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He also maintained a long working association with songwriter/filmmaker Joe Brooks, performing Brooks' song "Rock and Roll Music" in the 1974 film The Lords of Flatbush,[7] and appearing in Brooks' films You Light Up My Life (1977)[1] and If Ever I See You Again (1978).[5]
