He grew up in the Lower Moyamensing neighborhood of South Philadelphia. Throughout the early 60s, I appeared on almost all of them. Those included shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Perry Como, Jack Benny, Milton Berle and Red Skelton. Bobby Rydell, a Philadelphia music icon known for his Jersey shore anthem 'Wildwood Days,' died at the age of 79. From Bobby Rydell Follow Fans Also Viewed Ed Sheeran See all 31 Events blink-182 See all 88 Events Turnstile See all 48 Events Monster Jam See all 222 Events Shania Twain See all 83 Events Dead & Company Download the song for offline listening now. In 1963, Rydell played his most notable role, Hugo Peabody, in the musical 'Bye Bye . MUSIC icon Bobby Rydell died at age 79 on Tuesday. So we sat in the hotel bedroom for a few hours and wrote itJohn and I, sitting on twin beds with guitars. 7" Single on 45cat: Bobby Rydell - Good Time Baby / Cherie' - Columbia - Denmark - 45-DD 727 : 45worlds 45cat 45spaces. After a short pause, he got allserious on me and said, Bobby, you know Sinatra loves you.. The Birth of the Blues; Wildwood Days (CD) When I say drinking, I used to hide bottles of vodka in my golf bag in the back of the trunk of my car, and God forbid half of a bottle was gone, Id have to go to a liquor store and get a new one. After making two appearances on The Red Skelton Hour on which he just sang, he appeared in sketches intermittently from 1961 to 1969 as various characters, including Zeke Kadiddlehopper, cousin to Skeltons country-bumpkin character Clem Kadiddlehopper. Yeah, when I first hit, I bought myself a few trinkets that were out of reach for the average Joe. This set wasnt relegated to the basement like my red Revere drums. The three had toured extensively together since 1985, billed as the Golden Boys, and were still performing together this year. His 1963 song Wildwood Days paid homage to Wildwood, the New Jersey beach town where his grandmother had a boardinghouse and where he spent his early summers; like Philadelphia, Wildwood later held an honorary street-naming for Mr. Rydell. Linda Hoffman is a cardiac sonographer who met Bobby in October 2007. Bobby married his high school sweetheart, Camille Quattrone Ridarelli, in 1968. This wasn't the star's first brush with a serious illness, though in fact, quite the contrary. Carmine, the maitre d, came up to me as I was checking my coat and asked if I wanted to sit withFrank. The couple stayed together until her death in 2003. Unfortunately for Bobby, he suffered a drastic decline in popularity. It was great, he says. Would you like to joinus? Then he asked me what I was drinking. His name alone could conjure up an entire era: The 1970s rock musical Grease, in both its Broadway and movie versions, was set in 1959 at the fictional Rydell High School. Still, he sold a lot more records than some of those who were. Eventually, "I said, 'Well, if I'm gonna sit down and talk with anybody, it's gonna be Allan. [7], Rydell's success and prospects led his father, Adrio, a foreman at the Electro-Nite Carbon Company in Philadelphia, to resign in 1961 after 22 years to become his son's road manager. His performance in the musical film Bye Bye Birdie, where he played Hugo Peabody, made him afamousshow business performer. Bobby Rydell (1942-2022) Actor Soundtrack IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Part of the Philadelphia music scene which also spawned Frankie Avalon and Fabian, Rydell was undoubtedly the most talented of the teen idols. Join Songkick to track Bobby Rydell and get concert alerts when they play near you. But one mid-60s appearance at the Latin Quarter in New York did give me a more personal look into thesocial culture of what many, rightly or wrongly, perceive to be organized crime. Leopold Stokowski, Dizzy Gillespie and Bobby Rydell, he mused. A lot of Italian singers from my eraand probably a decade or two beforewere rumored to have mob affiliations or mob backing. He married Linda Hoffman in 2009. After an agonizingly uncomfortable minute of silence, Louie returned to the table, smiled, gave me a hug and kissed me on the cheek. Bobby Rydell's brutally honest street corner narrative evolved during an eighteen-month collaboration with Allan Slutsky, the award-winning author and producer of the widely acclaimed book and documentary film, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. That was something.. Mr. Rydell was a pop phenomenon but hardly a cutting-edge rock star. A polished performer by the age of 19, he was the youngest person ever to headline the famous Copacabana in New York. But FrankieDay and my mother still picked out my clothes, and I was still living with my parents in my grandparents tiny row home. The Birth Of The Blues. His first three songs on the Cameo label were flops, but he scored in 1959 with Kissin Time, which Dick Clark, whose show had succeeded Paul Whitemans, immediately liked. He had hits with songs including "Kissin' Time," "Wild One," and a cover of "Volare," and was also an occasional actor, who had a role in Bye Bye Birdie. I still love what I do. He notched up 19 singles in the Billboard Top 40, among the most successful of them We Got Love, Wild One and Volare. Where Is My Love; 27. Bobby Rydell Format: Audio CD 345 ratings Amazon's Choice for "bobby rydell cd" $1298 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns See all 9 formats and editions Streaming Unlimited MP3 $10.49 Listen with our Free App Audio CD $12.98 21 Used from $3.74 4 New from $12.95 Includes FREE MP3 version of this album. 1 record titled Butterfly with Cameos first artist, singer-guitarist Charlie Gracie. He won the contest, and the show's presenter, Paul Whiteman, recruited him into the cast, where he remained for several years. After three years on the show, he branched out into performing with local bands, including Rocco and the Saints in which a fellow Philadelphian, Frankie Avalon, played the trumpet and changed his name to Rydell. One of the classic teen idols of the late 1950s and early 60s, Bobby Rydell, who has died from complications of pneumonia aged 79, was only seven when he began performing on stage in his home town of Philadelphia. } else { 1 record titled Butterfly with Cameos first artist, singer-guitarist Charlie Gracie. I didnt see the need for it. Linda helped him stop drinking and also persuaded Bobby to write a very personal autobiography, which served as a kind of therapy for him. [12], During the 1960s, Rydell had numerous hit records on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Rydell was born in April 1942 and was the son of Jennie Ridarelli (nee Sapienza) and Adrio "Al" Ridarelli. Bobby Rydell, US pop idol of the early 1960s, dies aged 79 Singer, drummer and actor had five US Top 10 hits, and inspired the Beatles to write She Loves You Bobby Rydell in his heyday.. The track had a lot going for it: an irresistible hook in its ba-daboom kick drum figure, the roster of city names in the lyric that personalized the song to a lot of fans in a lot of different markets, and thenthere was that flamethrower of a solo from future, In addition, Cameo had a secret weapon in its corner that became the most important factor in breaking not only Kissin Time, but my career, aswell. The famous rock musical Grease was set in the fictional Rydell High . Sadly, Bobby would never get the chance to celebrate his 80th birthday. When I cant do it anymore, you might as well start shoveling the dirt on top of me, Bobby said in 2016. He is survived by Linda and by two children, Robert and Jennifer, from his first marriage. But if any of us Italiancrooners wanted to distance ourselvesfrom the image of a mob-backed Italian singer, it became almost impossible after my fellow SouthPhiladelphian, Al Martino, played Johnny Fontane in, . A year, two years tops, it's over.' Surprisingly, those first three duds I cut for Cameo didnt faze Bernie and Kal in the least. When he was nine, young Robert won a spot on the television show Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club and became a regular cast member. It was Rydell's first dramatic acting role. So we sat downAllan came to my homeand we sat down close to two years and I just poured my heart out. Some Christmas traditions have lasted for centuries, but these odd ones have faded with time. Rydell first took the stage as a professional drummer at the age of 9. [18] He had one more hit after 1965, a disco re-recording of "Sway", which reached the Billboard Easy Listening chart in 1976. I headlined the club three orfour more times before it finally closed its doors in 1973. He didnt know them, but they knew him. Rydell is survived by his wife, Linda J. Hoffman, son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and his five grandchildren, according to the statement. In addition to Best Life, she has written for Refinery29, Bustle, Hello Giggles, InStyle, and more. It just doesnt make any sense., Bobby Rydell, Teenage Idol With Enduring Appeal, Dies at 79, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/05/arts/music/bobby-rydell-dead.html. Read on to learn more about Rydell's life and career at 79 years old. appreciated. Wikipedia Commons / James Kriegsmann, New York. , and unbeknownst to me, he was in the housethat night to see his old friend perform. 2023 Cable News Network. Rydell and Ann-Margret were in attendance at the restoration premiere in Beverly Hills, hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Over the course of his recording career he placed 19 singles in the Billboard Top 40 and 34 in the Hot 100. The song, written by Tony Hatch, was his fifth and final gold disc winner. Bobby Rydell (Robert Louis Ridarelli), singer and musician, born 26 April 1942; died 5 April 2022, Teen pop idol of the 60s and star of Bye Bye Birdie, whose hits included Wild One and We Got Love, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. A new liver and a new kidney, because of all the drinking.. } Over the following 70 years, he would sing everything from rocknroll and smoochy love songs to disco, Broadway classics and Italian pop tunes. Skelton fell in love with Bobby, Mr. Rydells personal assistant, Linda F. Hoffman, said in 2013. The Philadelphia native saw 34 of his singles land on the Billboard Hot 100, with the most well-known being "Wild One." It probably cost more than the combined value of all the other furniture. I screen-tested with Ann-Margret and it must have looked good because they kept adding more dialogue and more songs for us in the movie. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=bcde052d-da76-4ec5-9c77-a8f57f947721&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=3217261472763221279'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); He was part of a South Philadelphia musicinvasion that included Frankie Avalon and Fabian, and Rydell toured the country and the world as part of 1960s showcases that introducedhim and his songs to tens of thousands of fans. All of You; 29. Because of them we have some wonderful memories from growing up. I told Jules about what had happened downstairsbefore the show and would you believe it? [22] In January 2013, six months after the double transplant surgery, Rydell returned to the stage in Las Vegas for a three-night engagement to a sold-out audience. Rydell, a Philadelphia native, died on Tuesday, TMZ reported. He was a regular guest on numerous TV shows, including those hosted by Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, Perry Como and George Burns. Born Robert Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, the star died on April 5, just weeks shy of what would have been his 80th birthday. It reached No. I nursed a Coke for the next hour and took it all in. [19][24], In the Broadway musical drama Grease, its film adaptation, and the film's sequel Grease 2, the high school was named "Rydell High" after Rydell.[25]. there are currently no upcoming events. I had met Bernie back in 1952, when he was the keyboardist for Paul Whitemans TV Teen Club. . At first, I thought he meant Frankie Day, until I realized he was referring to Sinatra. [15] Also during that time, Rydell served in the 103rd Engineer Battalion of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. A fewblocks away at Idolmaker Bob Marcuccis Chancellor Records, Frankie Avalon already had a huge smash with Venus, and Fabian hadscored with Turn Me Loose.. Rydell referred to the transplant as one of the "second chances" mentioned in his book title. I was impressed at first sight. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. Rydell, who opened up about receiving a double organ transplant in 2012 in his 2016 biography Teen Idol on the Rocks: A Tale of Second Chances, was an advocate for organ donation and supporter of The Gift of Life, a nonprofit that helps families impacted by organ transplants. Its amazing., There had been some rocky moments along the way. 60's Teen Idol Bobby Rydell on Overcoming Alcoholism Steve Adubato 15.4K subscribers Subscribe 230K views 6 years ago #1892 60's teen idol, Bobby Rydell, talks about his iconic role in Bye. Since my teen idol days were nowin the rearview mirror, Frankie Day was OK with it and happy for both of us. He had great success on the oldies circuit into his last years. Among countless other cultural references such as The Beatles' hit "She Loves You," which as Vulture pointed out, was a response to Rydell's "Swingin' School" further preserving Rydell's memory is his own repertoire of hits. Philly was all in. One of the tougher periods occurred in February 1966, when I toured South Vietnam for three weeks. Six decades later, teamed with his fellow singers Frankie Avalon and Fabian, he was still drawing. Bobby Rydell, Teenage Idol With Enduring Appeal, Dies at 79 He had his first hit in 1959. In his interview with From the Mixed Up Files, he shared a story about his wife discovering some of his old work. The headliner that night wasa prominent local act named Billy Duke and the Dukes, whose bass player was known as Frankie Day. Bobby first found success as a teen idol, selling over 25 million records. Cousin Brucie wasplaying it. If I played Palumbos in South Philly, Nicky Scarfo, Philip Testa, or several of the other local Philly boys might be hanging at the bar. After that, he changed his name to Bobby Rydell and began playing music with various bands around his hometown of Philadelphia. Rydell was a longtime resident of Penn Valley, Pennsylvania . At outposts surrounded by sandbags and soldiers with M60s, I slept on cots with loaded guns and hand grenades less than an arms-lengthaway. Rydell died on April 5 in Abington, Pennsylvania, from pneumonia complications, which were unrelated to Covid-19, the statement said. All Rights Reserved. He was 79. [2] In May 1960, Rydell toured Australia with The Everly Brothers, Billy "Crash" Craddock, Marv Johnson, The Champs, The Crickets, and Lonnie Lee. Bobby Rydell started his ultimate singing career in 1958, but before that, he has performed in talent shows and won in 1950 talent show named Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club. Rydell was also immortalized in the 2018 film"Green Book," which depicted his legendary performance at Copacabana at the age of 19. up where this one leaves off. Bobby Rydell's death was attributed to pneumonia complications. Bobby was also portrayed in the Hollywood hit and Oscar-winning film Green Book in 2018. I asked around and was told Louie owned a restaurant called Separate Tables and supposedly was connected with the Gambino family. It's one of your most important organsso you may want to listen to what it has to say. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { Rydell died of complications from pneumonia . He was 79. Nonetheless, by 1964 Rydells hits were drying up, though he reached No 4 that year with Forget Him, and his generation of performers was sidelined by the seismic impact of the Beatles and the British Invasion. Bernie and Kal would supply the show with a steady streamof acts and would bail out Dick with someone from their lineup whenever an artist from another label cancelled on him at the last moment. Bobby Rydell, the epitome of the early '60s "teen idol," who parlayed that fame into a starring role opposite Ann-Margret in the 1963 film " Bye Bye Birdie ," died today at age 79. Cameo was started in 1956 by songwriters Bernie Lowe andKal Mann in the basement of Bernies West Oak Lane home. Born Robert Ridarelli, Rydell got his first song on the Billboard 100 in 1959 and went on to have a career that included 34 top 100 hits and more than 25 million album sales, according to the statement. His successful career earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy car trips. [6], Rydell left Cameo-Parkway Records later in 1964 and signed with Capitol Records. Bobby Rydell, a teen idol from the '60s known for songs like "Wild One" and his role as Hugo Peabody in the 1963 film "Bye Bye Birdie," has died, according to a statement released by his. What happened?' In the early 1960s he was considered a teen idol. Linda was also there when Bobby needed to recover after all his surgeries. } Play & Download We Got Love MP3 Song for FREE by Bobby Rydell from the album Superstars Of The Sixties. Bobby Rydell, seen here performing in 2013, died on April 5 at age 79, according to his representatives. 6 How Lovely To Love a Woman - Bobby Rydell. 1 marketing tool in popularmusic at the time: Dick Clarks American Bandstand. Bobby Rydell in 1960, when he was riding high in the charts. [4], In 1961, he performed at the Copacabana in New York City, where he was the youngest performer to headline at the nightclub. The very first '60s-era teen idol left behind a "tremendous" legacy now being mourned by heartbroken fans. He diedon April 5 in Abington, Pennsylvania, from pneumonia complications, which were unrelated to Covid-19, aged 79. I was so nervous and intimidated I declined the offer. He married Linda Hoffman in 2009. So Rare; 30. Dubbed by Variety as one of the world's original teen idols, Rydell's icon status was cemented in "Grease," with the film's characters as students at Rydell High School. =(Track Bobby Rydell! For his fans, the book is a story about hope, redemption and mortality. Mr. Rydell married his high-school sweetheart, Camille Quattrone, in 1968. From the firstmoment he played the record on his show, the stations switchboard lit up. The Philadelphia born singer, with his amazing voice, took America by storm. 1 marketing tool in popularmusic at the time: Dick Clarks. Now, they tour as The Golden Boys. "We started that show in 1985, and it was a tremendous success," Rydell told From the Mixed Up Files in 2020. [20], The street on which he was born in Philadelphia was renamed Bobby Rydell Boulevard, in his honor. It's very, veryit's brutally honest. In 1963, he starred with Ann Margaret in the musical film, Bye Bye Birdie. 2022 Galvanized Media. In 1957, Frank Sinatra had portrayed him in the film. Underscoring his ties to his family and his city, and going against recommendations that he live on the West Coast, Mr. Rydell bought a house in 1963 in Penn Valley, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia, and moved in with his parents and grandparents. A person close to Bobby tells us . When Camille became seriously ill with cancer and died, Bobby started drinking heavily. Throughout his stardom in the 1960s, Bobby released the hit songs Kissin' Time, We Got Love, Wild One, and Swingin' School. We did it up right with a beautiful reception at the Warwick Hotel, and then left the nextmorning for a honeymoon in Hawaii. Therapists say it can damage your connection. Bobby Rydell, the Philly-born teen idol of the early 1960s whose hits included "Volare" and "Wild One" and who took part in a scene-stealing dance number with Ann-Margret in the 1963 film Bye. reclines on a couch in his sports-themed basement in Penn Valley, a lit Winston purring in his right hand. It's very truthful, very sincere. Robert L. Ridarelli, a low- ranking soldier with a crew cut making $85a month. The track had a lot going for it: an irresistible hook in its ba-daboom kick drum figure, the roster of city names in the lyric that personalized the song to a lot of fans in a lot of different markets, and thenthere was that flamethrower of a solo from future Saturday Night Live saxophonist Georgie Young. Per Billboard, the singer had no less than 29 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 over his career. Even signing a deal with Frank Sinatras Reprise label in 1968 could not reverse the slide, with Rydell complaining that Reprise gave him no promotion. He plays AC, heads to Florida, and was even in Australia two years agofor the 23rd time. In 1995, the city of Philadelphia held a ceremony to designate South 11th Street, where he grew up, as Bobby Rydell Boulevard. It didnt take them long to come up with the song thatwould kick-start my career. But, like many other alcoholics, Bobby was very good at hiding his addiction few people knew how much he could drink and how bad it was.