Although Bill Haley may not be recognized the way other rock and roll pioneers like Elvis are, he was certainly just as influential, if not more, than many others in the genre. He started putting out rock and roll sounding songs before people knew how to classify him. He teamed up with his band, The Comets to perform some of the greatest songs of early rock and roll.William John Clifton Haley was born on July 6, 1925 in Highland Park, Michigan. His mother and father both had musical talent, and Haley grew up with a good ear for music. He was a shy child, but quickly drew attention because of his guitar playing and singing ability. He started producing music and joined a band called the Downhomers. He also was the musical director for another band, The Saddlemen.Haley hit gold when the band renamed themselves Bill Haley and His Comets and released the song "Crazy, Man, Crazy." Haley is most well known for a song he and The Comets released in 1954 called "Rock Around the Clock." It wasn't an instant hit, however, until it was put on the movie soundtrack for The Blackboard Jungle. The movie was about rebellious youth, and the tune seemed to go along perfectly to the theme. He had another hit in 1956 with "See You Later, Alligator." Most of his hits during this time were covers of other artist's hits.By the early 1960s, the band, along with Haley's personal life, was in shambles. He bounced back when fans became interested in live concerts. He kept performing and "Rock Around the Clock" was used for soundtracks in other movies and television shows. His health was deteriorating throughout the 1970s and it caught up with him in 1981. Haley died of a heart attack at 55 years old.