Farewell Bobby Sherman

While sitting here at my work computer, creating social media memes and promoting upcoming presentations on Medicare, aging, and retirement, I saw it.

A headline with the name Bobby Sherman popped up into my phone notifications. Sensing what it was, I couldn’t stop myself from saying out loud to the dog and the garden creatures, “Oh no!”

There are people, events, songs, and trends that connect us to our childhoods like no other, and for me, Bobby Sherman is and was one of them. I’m sharing this today because I think as we age, loss becomes more frequent whether it is family members, friends, old acquaintances and even celebrities and/or people whose contributions to our culture impacted our life and our life experience. These people helped in some way to impact who we have become. Remember these people can also bring us together and keep us connected to others.

I first fell for Bobby Sherman when he played Jeremy Bolt on “Here Come the Brides.” His character was the youngest of three brothers, and a shy 19th century lumberjack in the Washington Territories (Seattle). As a shy young girl, I connected to his bashful stuttering character and good looks immediately.

Of course, Bobby Sherman wasn’t just an actor. He was a pop singer and a teen idol. He ranked as number 8 on the list in the TV Guide 2005 ranking of the 25 greatest teen idols, ahead of Davy Jones (David Cassidy was number 1). Bobby also appeared countless times on the cover of Tiger Beat magazine and even Marge Simpson (of The Simpsons fame) had a crush on him.

Some of my Bobby Sherman memories include:

As a young girl, I clearly remember playing “rock star” with a close girl fried. We would take turns being the pop star in question and hopping around singing into a jump rope on my twin bed. I was often the one who played Bobby Sherman. Most likely this was due to my shoulder length brown hair.

I also have a clear remembrance of a visit to my grandmothers in North Carolina and spending time in my room listening to Bobby’s “Julie, Do Ya Love Me,” “Easy Come, Easy Go,” and “La La La (If I Had You)” on repeat (which I had to do by hand of course).

I even took my parents to see Bobby in the mid-1980’s at a live taping of “Sanchez of Bel Air” in Hollywood. He played the part of the neighbor Frankie Rendell. While we enjoyed the taping, I seriously doubt you remember that show!

I read in the New York Times that Bobby Sherman had wanted to be a child psychologist before he became famous as an actor and singer. While he never became a psychologist, he did work as an emergency medical technician and chief medical training officer for the Los Angeles Police Department later in life.

Like Bobby, I ended up in the entertainment and music industry, albeit not as a teen idol or talent, but rather as one of the behind-the-scenes people whose job it was to promote the movies, celebrities, shows, and music. Like Bobby I also moved out of the entertainment business. I now ply my marketing and communications skills to a business that helps support older adults to create their best life as they age.

I may have never gotten to meet Bobby in person, but today I celebrate his life and the impact he had on mine. Rest in peace. You mattered to a little girl with “Bubble Gum and Braces.”

Were you a fan of Bobby Sherman?

What celebrity losses have meant something to you?

Please share. I’d LOVE to know.

Sue