Freddy Cannon, the rock and roller known for hits including "Palisades Park" and "Tallahassee Lassie," died Friday at a hospice facility in California. He was 89.
Cannon's friend Tom Cuddy, of iHeart Radio, announced the death. Cuddy said Cannon had been scheduled to interview with DJ Cousin Brucie Morrow on July 11 but was taken to the hospital the day before the appearance was set to take place.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cannon was born on December 4, 1936 in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he began his music career. He was nicknamed Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon. An early recording of what would become "Tallahassee Lassie" caught the attention of Dick Clark, who encouraged Cannon and his wife Jeanette to relocate to Philadelphia. They did so while Cannon was still in his late teens.
"Tallahassee Lassie" was released in 1959 and peaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Hot 100, making it the first of his songs to appear on the chart. The following year, Cannon appeared on Clark's American Bandstand for the first time. Over the years, he would go on to appear on the weekly dance program a record-setting 110 times.
His biggest charting single came in 1962 with "Palisades Park," which reached No. 3 on the charts. Other hits included "Jump Over" and "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy" in 1960, "Abigail Beecher" in 1964, "Action" in 1965 and "The Dedication Song" in 1966.
Beyond music, Cannon built a screen resume that included appearances in No Time for Sergeants, Village of the Giants, Never Too Young and Svengoolie, as well as the television series Where the Action Is!, which shared the name of his 2011 memoir.
He is survived by his children Conny Weber and Billy Cannon, his sister Mary Lou, son-in-law Jim, daughter-in-law Beth, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Cannon was predeceased by his son John, who died in April, and his wife Jeanette, who died in 2024.