Robert Charles Guidry was one of the pioneers of swamp pop. Born into a Cajun family, he grew up in Abbeville, Louisiana, and began performing with a small combo at Mount Carmel High School dances at a very young age. Remarkably, at just fourteen, he wrote the song that would cement his place in rock ’n’ roll history. “See You Later Alligator” captured the attention of Leonard Chess of Chess Records, setting his career into motion.

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Chess brought the young singer to Cosimo Matassa’s legendary studio in New Orleans to record the song, which quickly gained widespread popularity. He signed Guidry to the label but shortened his name to “Bobby Charles,” believing it would be more memorable. As the only white artist on an otherwise all-Black label, Charles toured with major acts such as Chuck Berry, placing him at the heart of the emerging rock ’n’ roll scene.

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Not long after, Bill Haley and the Comets recorded their own version of “See You Later Alligator.” The single became a global hit and helped solidify Haley’s reputation as one of the fathers of rock ’n’ roll. Meanwhile, Charles continued to grow as a songwriter, earning critical acclaim for his 1971 self-titled album on Bearsville Records. Among his most enduring compositions are “Walking to New Orleans,” written with Fats Domino, and “I Don’t Know Why (But I Do),” written with Clarence “Frogman” Henry. When commercial success didn’t match the strength of his songwriting, Charles returned to Abbeville, where he created The Solution to Pollution, an educational children’s program promoting environmental awareness.

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Over the years, Bobby Charles’ songs have been recorded by a remarkable range of artists, including Ray Charles, Etta James, Lou Rawls, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Junior Wells, UB40, Joe Cocker, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Dr. John, Wilson Pickett, Jackie DeShannon, Tom Jones, Amos Garrett, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Bonnie Bramlett, Bo Diddley, Delbert McClinton, David Allan Coe, and Jerry Jeff Walker. His songwriting legacy remains deeply embedded in American roots music.