Runaway Del Shannon- 1961 Written by Charles Westover and Max Crook Singer-guitarist Charles Westover and keyboard player Max Crook performed together as members of "Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band" in Battle Creek, Michigan, before their group won a recording contract in 1960. Westover took the new stage name "Del Shannon", and Crook, who had invented his own clavioline-based electric keyboard, the Musitron, became "Maximilian". Runaway, previously written as Little Runaway by Shannon and Westover, was revised and released in February in 1961. It quickly became an international hit. An appearance on Dick Clark catapulted the song to #1 on the Billboard Charts where it remained for four weeks. It reached #2 in the UK two months later. In 1962 Lawrence released it as a re-make with his orchestra and it became a hit. Charlie Kulis released it in 1975 and it hit #46 on the charts. Bonnie Raitt released it in 1977 and it hit #57. Various country and blue-grass labels have also released it. The Traveling Wilburys (Springsteen, Orbison, et al) included the song in their repertoire. For the full YouTube video version of Runaway, click here to play.