Bobby Hebb, singer and writer of 1966 pop hit ‘Sunny,’ dies in Nashville at age 72

Bobby Hebb, singer of ‘66 hit ‘Sunny,’ dies at 72

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bobby Hebb, whose 1966 hit “Sunny” about a smiling girl became a pop music classic, has died. He was 72.

Family members and a funeral home spokesman said Hebb died Tuesday morning at Centennial Medical Center. The cause of death was not announced.

At the height of “Sunny” popularity, Hebb toured with the Beatles.

“Sunny” also was recorded by many other singers, including Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett and Jose Feliciano.

Hebb said in several interviews that he wrote “Sunny” in response to the slaying of his brother outside a Nashville nightclub and to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy a few days before.

As recently as 2007, he was still writing songs and had his own publishing company and record label, Hebb Cats.