Bobby Denton
August 13, 1938
2010 Inductee

Bobby Denton was a teenager when he first began his recording career working with James Joiner's Tune Records.

A native of Cherokee, Al., Denton approached Joiner about recording. Joiner had recently completed writing a song "A Fallen Star" and cut the song on Denton during a recording session at WLAY radio.

The song was recorded in a single take, made while the engineer was playing another song over the air. It was a hit, and soon Denton found himself on the famous Dick Clark television show American Bandstand.

Denton cut another hit for Tune Records, a song, "Sweet and Innocent" written by Rick Hall and Billy Sherrill, but grew disenchanted with the business and retired from performing.

Bobby Denton began singing and playing the guitar at a very early age. He performed on radio and various musical events around the northwest Alabama area.

In 1956, a small recording company was organized in Florence, Alabama and a short time later, Tune Records recorded a song called, "A Fallen Star" sung by teenager Bobby Denton. This record is believed to be the first master tape recording from which a commercial record was pressed in the state of Alabama.

Although Bobby Denton's recording of the song was the first, it was overshadowed by other artists who recorded the song who were promoted by major record companies. Bobby Denton recorded other songs for Tune Records before joining promoter Judd Phillips. Judd was the brother of Sam Phillips who discovered Elvis Presley and founded Sun Records of Memphis, Tennessee.

Bobby recorded four songs for Judd Records that had nationwide distribution. He performed on the Dick Clark Show (ABCTV Network) from New York City and his recordings of "Sweet and Innocent" and "Back to School" were big hits in several areas of the country.

He also toured with big named stars around the nation before he left the business in 1960.

After almost forty years of being completely out of the music business, Bobby Denton returned to music in 1997 singing better than ever. He recorded a thirteensong album of old favorite gospel songs called My God and I that has been very successful. In 1998, he released another gospel album called Hope, and in 1999 an album called Love Songs was released. A new gospel project for the year 2000 is expected to be very successful. Bobby records and performs his music for personal satisfaction with the intent of providing his audiences with the good feeling of hope and a renewal of faith.

He and his wife, Barbara, have been married more than forty years. They have three children and three grandchildren.

The Senator is a former businessman and bank vice president. He has been employed at Northwest Shoals Community College for more than fifteen years as Director of Development. He is an active member of the Church of Christ and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Bobby Denton has earned the reputation of being one of the most respected members of the Alabama State Senate.

Senator Bobby Denton has served the citizens of Alabama with distinction for more than twenty years. He has a long list of accomplishments during his tenure as a State Senator.