Page "Bill Haley & His Comets" Paragraph 28

In February 1976, Haley's saxophone player and best friend, Rudy Pompilli, died of cancer after a nearly 20-year career with the Comets.

Haley continued to tour for the next year with a succession of new sax players, but his popularity was waning again and his 1976 performance in London was critically lambasted by music media such as Melody Maker.

That year, the group also recorded an album, R-O-C-K at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio for Sonet Records.

In early 1977, Haley announced his retirement from performing and settled down at his home in Mexico.

According to the John Swenson biography of Haley, the musician was quoted as saying that he and Pompilli had an agreement that if one died, the other would retire.