{{Short description|American musician and songwriter (1936–2025)}} {{Infobox person |name = Bobby Gosh |image = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date|1936|5|31}} |birth_place = Stouchsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|2025|12|31|1936|5|31}} |death_place = Brookfield, Vermont, U.S. |other_names = |known_for = |occupation = |website = {{URL|https://www.bobbygosh.com/}} }}
'''Bobby Gosh''' (born '''Robert Gosch'''; May 31, 1936 – December 31, 2025) was an American musician and singer-songwriter from Vermont known for writing the song "A Little Bit More" which became a hit single when recorded by Dr. Hook in 1976.
==Early life and education== Gosh was born Robert Gosch on May 31, 1936, in Stouchsburg, Pennsylvania, to Hans and Margaret (Zeller) Gosch, and grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania.<ref name="obit">{{cite web | title=Bobby Gosh | website=The White River Valley Herald | date=2026-01-15 | url=https://www.ourherald.com/articles/bobby-gosh/ | access-date=2026-01-21}}</ref> He started studying classical piano at age six. He toured as Kitty Callen's pianist when he was 16. He attended Albright College, graduating in 1958 with a degree in accounting.<ref name="obit" /> He married Billi Williams, whom he met at Albright, in 1959. He served in the US Army Reserves where, among other things, he played piano at the officers' club.<ref name="obit" /> The couple moved to New York City in 1962.
==Career== In New York City, Gosh studied orchestration at Juilliard and played piano and sang in clubs at night. He met Sammy Cahn during this time and they became a songwriting duo. Through Cahn, Gosh met Paul Anka, and Gosh toured for two years as Anka's pianist, orchestra conductor, and co-writer. Gosh sang and played on the original piano-voice demo of Anka's song, "My Way." Gosh signed with Polydor Records and released two solo albums.<ref name="obit" />
The first charting single he wrote was "I've Been There Before," recorded by Ray Price, which reached #11 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs.<ref name="country">{{cite book|title=Joel Whitburn's Top Country Albums 1964-1997|publisher=Record Research Inc.|year=1997|page=137|isbn=0898201241}}</ref> His 1973 album ''Sitting in the Quiet'' contained the song "A Little Bit More" which was recorded by Dr. Hook in 1976. It reached the Top 40, peaking at #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #11 on the US Billboard Hot 100.<ref name="j577">{{cite web | title=A Little Bit More (song by Dr. Hook)| website=Music VF, US & UK hit charts| url=https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=A+Little+Bit+More+by+Dr.+Hook&id=13012#gsc.tab=0 | access-date=2026-01-21}}</ref> It was also recorded by Lynn Anderson on her album ''Wrap Your Love All Around Your Man'' in 1977. Gosh recorded albums and singles for other labels including ABC, Capitol Records, Paramount and RCA Records.<ref name="ABC">{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Mary |title=Bobby Gosh Discovered for 39¢ |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-robesonian-gosh-silverstein/189505450/ |access-date=22 January 2026 |work=The Robesonian |date=April 3, 1977 |location=Lumberton, NC |page=4}}</ref> He opened for bands such as Sha Na Na.<ref name="ShaNaNa">{{cite news |last1=Yonki |first1=David |title=Teen Record Revue |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch-bobby-gosh-sha-na-na/189505241/ |access-date=22 January 2026 |work=Sunday Dispatch |date=Nov 7, 1971 |location=Pittston, Pennsylvania |page=53}}</ref>
Gosh continued to compose, produce, and sing on hundreds of radio and TV commercials including writing "Welcome to Our World of Toys" also known as the "FAO Schwarz Clock Song," which played in all FAO Schwarz stores, and the "come to the honeycomb hideout" jingle for Honeycomb cereal.<ref name="7d" /> He performed on The Tonight Show and The David Frost Show. The music box tracks on Björk's album ''Vespertine'' were recorded at Gosh's home studio.<ref name="m861">{{cite web | title=Bygosh Music Recording Studios | website=Discogs | date=2015-02-20 | url=https://www.discogs.com/label/383909-Bygosh-Music-Recording-Studios | access-date=2026-01-22}}</ref> Gosh released music under his own label, Bygosh Music Corporation.<ref name="TA">{{cite web | title=Bobby Gosh's Chandler songfest lives on | website=Times Argus | date=2004-10-15 | url=https://www.timesargus.com/news/bobby-goshs-chandler-songfest-lives-on/article_7cd5467f-fa87-55d4-b4ba-ec79cfbde9e7.html | access-date=2026-01-22}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Gosh and his wife bought a house in Brookfield, Vermont in 1971 and moved there full time in 1975. They operated a restaurant in Randolph, Vermont.<ref name="7d">{{cite news |last1=James |first1=Megan |title=Oh Gosh! |url=https://archive.org/details/issuu_7days_sevendays_march16_2011/mode/2up?q=%22bobby+gosh%22 |access-date=21 January 2026 |work=Seven Days |date=March 16, 2011 |pages=28–30}}</ref> They were art collectors and had a personal collection of over 1400 pieces, including works by Ezio Martinelli, Sabra Field, and Philip Hagopian.<ref name="art">{{cite web | last=Marcel | first=Joyce | title=Bobby Gosh | website=Vermont Arts & Living | url=https://vermontartsliving.com/?p=104 | access-date=2026-01-21}}</ref> They had two children. On April 20, 2016, just before marijuana became legal in Vermont, Gosh published a memoir titled ''Confessions of a Marijuana Eater: A Songwriter’s Memoir''.<ref name="weed">{{cite web | last=Polston | first=Pamela | title=Musician Bobby Gosh Talks Marijuana in New Memoir | website=Seven Days | date=2016-04-20 | url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/arts-culture/musician-bobby-gosh-talks-marijuana-in-new-memoir-3306596/?_ga=2.141571771.885645561.1707325716-1580539665.1707325715 | access-date=2026-01-22}}</ref> In it he advocated for its legalization and touted its therapeutic effects.<ref name="weed" /> Kirkus Reviews called it "An often wild and always engaging autobiography."<ref name="kirk">{{cite web | last=Gosh | first=Bobby | title=CONFESSIONS OF A MARIJUANA EATER | website=Kirkus Reviews | date=2016-04-20 | url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/bobby-gosh/confessions-of-a-marijuana-eater-a-songwriters-mem/ | access-date=2026-01-22}}</ref>
Gosh died at home in Brookfield, on December 31, 2025, at the age of 89.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obituary: Bobby Gosh, 1936-2025 |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/life-lines/obituaries/obituary-bobby-gosh-1936-2025/ |access-date=17 May 2026 |publisher=Seven Days |date=13 January 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.bobbygosh.com/ Personal website] * {{Discogs artist|Bobby Gosh}} * {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=bobby-gosh-mn0000076024|label=Bobby Gosh}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gosh, Bobby}} Category:1936 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Musicians from Vermont Category:Albright College alumni