In June of 1964, Bobby was definitely in the right place at the right
time. He became the first pop singer to record a jingle that sounded like
a “Top 40 Single,” the song was “Things Go Better with Coke.” He signed
an exclusive contract with Coca Cola to be their #1 Spokesman. Bobby, inspired
by Coke and thinking of a spin off to “Things Go Better with Coke,” co-wrote
“The Real Thing” which he used a version of for the commercial “Coke’s
The Real Thing.”
Bobby made numerous appearances on network “Teen” TV shows like American
Bandstand. His Hollywood debut was on Hullabaloo and Shindig, from southern
California, then the world famous Wolf Man Jack Show and Don Webster’s
Show in Cleveland, Ohio. He later became the first recording artist to
host not one, but two Network Canadian TV Shows. After Four on CFTO Channel
9 in 1965 and 1966, and Shake, Rock and Roll on CTV in 1973. Bobby was
also host to many of the Miss Canada and Miss Teen Canada Pageants.
Some of the backup bands that toured with Bobby during the sixties
included The Bobcats and The Original Martells, as well as three bands
from Manitoba: Chad Allan and the Reflections (later known as the Guess
Who), The Dovermen, and The New Martells.
The sixties, with hit after hit for Bobby, included 25 Canadian Gold
singles and 12 Canadian Gold albums.