The Man Behind Sunny
Born into a musical family, Bobby Hebb was the son of two blind musicians and began performing at the age of just three, playing spoons with his brother Harold—a talent that would land him a spot on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
Throughout the 1950s, Bobby sang backing vocals for Bo Diddley and later teamed up with Sylvia Vanderpool (of Mickey & Sylvia fame) in an R&B duo after Mickey Baker’s departure.
His solo recording career kicked off in the early 1960s with a string of singles—Night Train from Memphis, Feel So Good, and Atlanta G.A.—none of which charted at the time.
In 1963, Bobby suffered two devastating losses within 48 hours: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the tragic murder of his brother Harold. In his grief, Hebb turned to songwriting and penned Sunny, a track that radiated hope and resilience in the face of tragedy.
Released in 1966, Sunny became an international hit, launching Bobby Hebb into the spotlight. That same year, he toured with The Beatles, and Sunny quickly became a standard, covered by artists including Booker T. & The M.G.’s, Cher, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and, decades later, Billie Eilish in 2020.
Bobby re-recorded his signature tune in a disco style as Sunny ’76, giving the song a new lease of life for a new decade.
While Sunny remains his defining work, Hebb also released A Satisfied Mind in 1966—the year his brief but impactful time at the top of the charts peaked.
Bobby Hebb Tunes | Related Pages
Sunny | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Sunny by Bobby Hebb using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Em7 | G9 | Cmaj7 | F#m7b5 B7 |
Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Sunny (Bobby Hebb) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Bobby Hebb on the web
