Bobby Pickett co-wrote "Monster Mash" with Leonard Capizzi,
featuring impersonations of horror film stars Boris
Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The
song was passed on by every major label, but Gary Paxton agreed
to produce a session. Musicians included unknown pianist Leon
Russell and drummer Mel Taylor.
The single became a a million seller, reaching #1 on the
Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks before Halloween in
1962. It was styled as being by "Bobby 'Boris' Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers". The track
re-entered the U.S. charts twice, in August 1970, and again in May 1973, when it reached
the #10 spot. It peaked at #3 in Britain in 1973.
Picket died of leukemia in April 2007 at
age 69.
