Your official source for the latest news, History & information On Del Shannon
Del Shannon, a rock 'n' roll pioneer, left an indelible mark on music history with his distinctive voice and timeless hits.
Born Charles Weedon Westover on December 30, 1934, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he became a prominent American artist in the 1960s, standing out during the British Invasion with chart-topping hits like ‘Runaway’ in 1961, followed by ‘Hats Off to Larry’ and ‘Little Town Flirt.’ Growing up in rural Coopersville, Michigan, he was shaped by country music influences, learning ukulele and guitar, and later honed his skills in the U.S. Army band, the Cool Flames, before his breakthrough at Battle Creek’s Hi-Lo Club with Max Crook’s innovative Musitron, securing a Bigtop Records deal in 1960. Throughout his career, he worked with various labels like Liberty and Dunhill, explored diverse musical styles, and produced for artists such as Brian Hyland, while later collaborating with Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne on albums like ‘Drop Down and Get Me’ (1981) and ‘Rock On!’ (1991), leaving a lasting legacy recognized by his 1999 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
New Documentary
Del Shannon
The Runaway
Coming soon! This documentary takes you behind the scenes to explore untold stories and perspectives of the 60’s rock ‘n roll star!

Hits
On The Charts
Year | Title | Label | U.S. | U.K. |
1961 | Runaway | Big Top / London | 1 | 1 |
1961 | Hats Off To Larry | Big Top / London | 5 | 6 |
1961 | So Long Baby | Big Top / London | 28 | 10 |
1961 | Hey! Little Girl | Big Top / London | 38 | 2 |
1962 | Ginny In The Mirror | Big Top | 113 | -- |
1962 | Cry Myself To Sleep | Big Top / London | 99 | 29 |
1962 | The Swiss Maid | Big Top / London | 64 | 2 |
1962 | Little Town Flirt | Big Top / London | 12 | 4 |
1963 | Two Kinds of Teardrops | Big Top / London | 50 | 5 |
1963 | From Me To You | Big Top | 77 | -- |
1963 | Two Silhouettes | London | -- | 23 |
1963 | Sue's Gotta Be Mine | BerLee / London | 71 | 21 |
1964 | That's The Way Love Is | BerLee / London | 117 | -- |
1964 | Mary Jane | Amy / Stateside | -- | 35 |
1964 | Handy Man | Amy / Stateside | 22 | 36 |
1964 | Do You Wanna Dance | Amy / Stateside | 43 | -- |
1964 | Keep Searchin' | Amy / Stateside | 9 | 4 |
1965 | Stranger In Town | Amy / Stateside | 30 | 40 |
1965 | Break Up | Amy / Stateside | 95 | -- |
1965 | Move It On Over | Amy / Stateside | 128 | -- |
1966 | The Big Hurt | Liberty | 94 | -- |
1966 | Under My Thumb | Liberty | 128 | -- |
1966 | She | Liberty | 131 | -- |
1967 | Runaway '67 | Liberty | 112 | -- |
1969 | Comin' Back To Me | Dunhill | 127 | -- |
1981 | Sea of Love | Network / Elektra | 33 | -- |