Who Is Bill Haley Jr. and What Does His Band the Comets Do?
Bill Haley Jr. is the son of rock 'n' roll pioneer Bill Haley and the leader of Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets, a five-piece combo that performs songs first recorded by the original Bill Haley and the Comets along with other popular tunes from the 1950s and '60s. The band presents its set as a "Rock 'N' Roll History Show," in which Haley shares the inside stories and historical context behind the songs he sings. If you want to know how the younger Haley relates to his father's legacy — as a performer and as an author — the two threads below cover it.
The band: lineup and what the show is
Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets is described as a high-energy five-piece combo with an emphasis on authenticity in sound and presentation. The lineup named on the band's site is:
- Bill Haley Jr. — vocals and storytelling
- Kaj Hansen — saxophone
- Mike Denaro — electric guitar
- Christopher Davis Shannon — upright bass
- Rich Flamini — drums, in a Gene Krupa-style approach
The material draws on songs first recorded at the dawn of rock 'n' roll by the legendary Bill Haley and the Comets, plus other popular tunes from the 1950s and '60s. The framing as a "Rock 'N' Roll History Show" means the performance is not just a set of covers: Haley talks about where the songs came from and what was happening around them. The site's own description invites audiences to "jump, jive, dance, clap, stomp your feet and sing along."
If you are deciding whether this is the right act for an event, the practical question is whether you want a history-and-music presentation or a straight dance band. The show is built around both, so it suits audiences who want context alongside the hits.
The book: Crazy Man, Crazy: The Bill Haley Story
Bill Haley Jr. co-wrote Crazy Man, Crazy: The Bill Haley Story with Peter Benjaminson. According to the band's site, it is the first complete biography of his father and draws on:
- Extensive interviews with family members, former Comets, and business associates
- Decades of research
- Rare and previously unseen photos from Bill Haley Jr.'s personal family collection
The book covers the classic songs, the wild performances, the rough roadhouses, and the Hollywood high points, along with what the site calls the "devastating demons" that plagued his father — including his tragedies, triumphs, and the fallout of his failures as a father and husband. The site states it is available at Barnes & Noble and major book stores, or by ordering directly through Amazon via the book covers on the site; it lists a North America edition (Backbeat Books) and a UK edition (Omnibus Books).
How the two Bill Haleys relate
The distinction that matters most:
| Bill Haley (original) | Bill Haley Jr. | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Rock 'n' roll pioneer; leader of the original Bill Haley and the Comets | Son; leader of the current Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets |
| Repertoire | Recorded the songs at the dawn of rock 'n' roll | Performs those songs plus other 1950s–'60s hits |
| Other work | Subject of the biography | Co-author of Crazy Man, Crazy: The Bill Haley Story |
So the younger Haley's connection to the original act is both familial and performative: he sings his father's material with a band of "comets" and, separately, has written the definitive account of his father's life.
Where to go next
The band's site links to an Audio Gallery for listening to and downloading music, and a Photo Gallery for band photos. If you are booking or researching the group, those two sections plus the Band Bios and Reviews pages are the places to start. If you are mainly interested in the history, the biography is the more direct route — it is the only one of the two that covers Bill Haley's private life and career in full.