Biography

    The Heywoods were formed back in high school by their leader Bo Donaldson in 1965 in Cincinnati, Ohio. At first when forming the group like most groups were formed The Heywoods didn't have a name. But it didn't take long to find a name that really became perfect for them. They got their name Heywood from a member of the group by the name of "Corky" Pickering.The name "The Heywoods" or "Heywood" came from a Rolling Stone album,named after a man with the last name of Heywood, which was a writer of at least one of The Rolling Stone songs."Corky" Pickering liked the ring that this name gave and thought it was appropriate,the name just suited them. It gave them the British sounding name that at that time was really big with some of the major artists in the 60's and since many of The Heywoods songs were songs of The Rolling Stones it was perfect. Bo's mom, Bea, became the group's manager and they began playing mostly as a cover band playing songs by groups that were popular at that time like The Beatles and The Rolling  Stones and others .They played at many PTA meetings and many local establishments around town, playing at school dances, birthday party's, and also for the local TV shows in the state of Ohio and throughout their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

    One of their first signs of star dome came when they were introduced to Dick Clark in the late 60's and began touring with some of the major artists at that time like Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Rascals and also Herman Hermits which were part of the "Caravan of Stars " which was sponsored by Dick Clark. The Heywoods soon were known as local recording artist. They were signed on with Queen -Bee and Gene Autry's Republic records, which some of their tunes received local air play in Cincinnati, but not played nationally. Their biggest break came when they began touring with one of the biggest pop family's of the seventies and their name is still a major part of the music that we all know and love today, The Osmonds. The Heywoods began touring with The Osmonds back in the early seventies and soon came the break that The Heywoods needed to be known nationally. They were signed up with a major record company, Family Productions,  and got their first charted single with "Special Someone. "It was released in 1972 and was the title to their debut album. Soon came a follow up single "You Don't Own Me," and the group became known as Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods. They left Family Productions in 1973 and were signed up by ABC records produced by Steve Barri  and released the single "Deeper and Deeper" and by March of 1974 came as we all know one of The Heywoods biggest #1 hits and gold records "Billy Don't Be A Hero" and soon to follow 'Who Do You Think You Are?" and "The Heartbreak Kid" and "Our Last Song Together .In late 1975 the group left ABC records for the record company of Capital records and released their third album Farther On with the hits of "Oh Boy" ,"Hello its Me" and Teenage Rampage." The  Heywoods left Capital Records in late 1976 and in 1977 they were back with a single for Playboy Records "Give Me Some Time." By 1978 they were back where they started  in the 60's with Republic Records and Bo released the single "Love Spirit Lady" and they were known then as The Bo Donaldson Band. The band soon took time off from performing and got on with their lives and in the early 80's tried to start over again, with a group called River Bend which was a total different group, it was a country group. In the middle 1990's Bo decided that it was time to get the group back that all of us remember as Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods. They released a new CD in 1996 "The Best of Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods and once again they are together performing through out the country.