Jerry Keller

Jerry Paul Keller (born June 20, 1937) is an American pop singer and songwriter. He is best known for his 1959 million selling record, "Here Comes Summer."

Career

Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Keller moved with his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was aged six, and Keller attended Tulsa's Will Rogers High School, graduating in 1955. He was known as a vocal soloist in various school productions, and was often invited to do guest vocals with top bands touring the area. He formed the group and was a member of the Tulsa Boy Singers.

Keller attended the University of Tulsa and moved to New York in 1956. Pat Boone, a friend from church, recommended Marty Mills as Keller's manager.

Keller's biggest self-penned hit was 1959's "Here Comes Summer." It climbed to #14 in the Billboard Hot 100. The record reached number one in the UK the same year, but lack of further chart appearances branded Keller as a one-hit wonder. "Here Comes Summer" reached the number one spot in the UK in 1959.

He also wrote the English lyrics of "A Man and a Woman", from "Un homme et une femme" by Francis Lai and Pierre Barouh. "A Man and a Woman" was recorded by such artists as Matt Monro, Ella Fitzgerald, Engelbert Humperdinck, Johnny Mathis and José Feliciano. In addition he co-penned "Almost There", a successful single for Andy Williams, plus "How Does It Go?" recorded in 1965 by Ricky Nelson.

Jerry Keller (baseball)

Charles Bricker Keller (born February 9, 1955 in Royal Oak, Michigan) is a former minor league baseball first baseman, catcher and designated hitter who played from 1976 to 1985 in the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays organizations. Though he never played at the major league level, he played entirely at Triple-A - the classification directly below the major leagues - in seven of his 10 seasons and spent part of an eighth year there, as well. He hit over 200 home runs in his decade playing professional baseball.

Keller was drafted by major league teams twice. He was initially taken by the Montreal Expos in the 20th round of the 1973 draft out of Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Michigan, but did not sign a contract. He did sign after being taken by the Braves in the 10th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eastern Michigan University, where he earned All-Mid-American Conference honors in 1975 and 1976.

In his first professional season, 1976, Keller hit a combined .339 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI, a .425 on-base percentage and a .571 slugging percentage in 62 games between two teams. He played for the Kingsport Braves, with whom he hit .362 with six home runs in 41 games, and the Greenwood Braves, with whom he hit .296 with five home runs in 21 games.