Early-Era Rock Star Freddy ‘Boom-Boom’ Cannon Dead at 89
Early-Era Rock Star Freddy ‘Boom-Boom’ Cannon Dead at 89
Martin Kielty Sun, July 19, 2026 at 12:36 PM UTC
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Freddy “Boom-Boom” Cannon, best known for the 1959 hit single “Tallahassee Lassie” and 1962 follow-up “Palisades Park,” died after a brief cancer battle, it was confirmed. He was 89.
Born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. in 1936, he became a regular face on music TV, notching up more appearances on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand than any other performer.
He was also known for delivering his high-energy songs on Shindig, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is and The Midnight Special. Out of 60 singles released between 1969 and 2016, 29 of them charted.
READ MORE: The Biggest No. 1 Rock Songs of the ’60s
Cannon’s passing was confirmed by old friend and radio producer Tom Cuddy, who told Deadline: “Freddy didn’t do ballads. Dick Clark once told me that every time he hosted an oldies concert, he asked Freddy to open it, because he knew Freddy would get the audience on their feet with up-tempo rock and roll.”
His daughter Conny Weber added in a statement: “We would like to thank everyone for their love and support throughout our dad’s life. He will be remembered as a rock and roll icon. His music will live forever in our hearts.”
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Cannon’s musical fans included Robert Plant and Mick Jagger. The former is said to have told Cannon that Led Zeppelin recorded a version of “Tallahassee Lassie” – although such a track has never been released – while Jagger and the Rolling Stones did record a version, and Jagger said their song “Brown Sugar” had been inspired by it.
He was also namechecked by author Stephen King, who mentioned the singer in four books and featured “Palisades Park” in 2011 publication 11/22/63.
The Two Singles That Made Freddy Cannon Most Proud
“I never thought I should be a teenage idol,” Cannon told Classic Bands in 2011. “I never wanted to be a teenage idol. I’m a rock ’n’ roll act… you can judge me by the records.”
He continued: “I don’t have a great voice, but… I’ll rock with the best out there, live onstage. If they want to come and see me they’ll find out how good I am onstage. … What mattered to me was to sing real, raw rock ’n’ roll records.”
The singer asked to be judged on “Tallahassee Lassie” and 1961’s “Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It,” explaining: “[[T]hat’s Freddy Cannon. That’s who I want to be and that’s who I am.”
Watch Freddy Cannon Perform ‘Tallahassee Lassie’
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
