Bobby Hart and Boyce & Hart are the names under which Robert Luke Harshman is known to a world he introduced to the Monkees and songs like “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Words,” “Valleri” and “Tear Drop City.”
His first recordings were for Fabor Robison at Radio Records in 1959: “Love Whatca’ Doin’ To Me” b/w “Stop Talkin’, Start Lovin’" (Radio 122).
He then released on Guyden “Girl Of My Dreams” b/w a rendition of Buster Brown’s hit, “Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby” (Guyden 2022), which came out on July 21, 1959. These were the only recordings under his original name of Robert Luke Harshman. Changing his name to Bobby Hart, he came out with records on Reel, DCP, Infinity, Bamboo, Chelsea, W.B. and Ariola Records.
His initial success came as a songwriter. He wrote “Doctor Heartache” for Tommy Sands in 1960. Collaborating with Tommy Boyce, he wrote “Come A Little Closer,” for Jay and the Americans, which became a top 5 hit, as well as writing the theme for “Days of Our Lives” and songs for Dean Martin, the Animals, Andy Williams and Del Shannon. With Teddy Randazzo, with whom he worked in Las Vegas as one of the Dazzlers as in Tony Randazzo and the Dazzlers, Bobby Hart wrote “Hurt So Bad” for Little Anthony and the Imperials. “Hurt So Bad” was also a hit for the Lettermen in 1970 and for Linda Ronstadt in 1983.
The big breakthrough that led to Bobby Hart's being nominated for Grammy, Emmy and Academy Awards came when Donnie Kirshner paired Boyce and Hart with Kirschner’s television prodigies, The Monkees. The rest as they say is history.
