Bobby Rydell

On Wednesday morning I was on the computer on Facebook before going to work and I saw on Facebook that legendary American Bobby Rydell passed away which was shock to see that considering he was back on the road after Covid doing shows through the US which I couldn't believe it . Bobby Rydell who was born Robert Louis Ridarelli in Philadelphia April 26th 1942 started performing as an child appearing on the Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club which he appeared on it for the next few years and played around the Philadelphia area which by then he changed his name to Bobby Rydell. He had his first hit single in 1959 on Cameo Records with Kissin Time which for the next over 4 years would have successful hit singles including We Got Love, Swinging School, Sway, Volare, Good Time Baby, I wanna Thank You, The Cha Cha Cha, Forget Him written by Tony Hatch and many others and made appearances on TV including American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark, The Red Skelton Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, Bandstand(Australian) hosted by Brian Henderson, Six O'Clock Rock hosted by Johnny O'Keefe May 7th 1960, The Danny Thomas Show, Shindig and many others. He toured the world throughout including the UK including one with Helen Shapiro in 1963 when he met the Beatles, 1961 with the Brook Brothers amd Jesse Conrad and Australia which the first 3 were promoted by Lee Gordon which the first was May 1960 including Brisbane Festival Hall May 12th with Crash Craddock, The everly Brothers, Marv Johnson, The Crickets and Lonnie Lee as well as Col Joye in Perth, January 1961 including Brisbane Festival Hall January 26th 1961 with Duane Eddy, Chubby Checker, Brenda Lee, Oliver Cool and Col Joye and the Joy Boys and January 1962 including Brisbane Festival Hall January 13th with Del Shannon, Chubby Checker, Diane Hinton and the Peppermints and Sabrina and would make many more tours to Australia until 2014. He did remake of Kissin Time with the Australian cities which was an Australian hit in 1961 which went to number 7 in Australia, number 3 in Adelaide, number 13 in Brisbane and Melbourne, number 9 in Hobart and number 19 in Sydney. He also did acting including Bye Bye Birdie in 1963 with Ann Margaret, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh and Paul Hynde and did an appearance on the war TV show Combat. His hits making days gradually ended after 1964 due with the emergence of the British Invasion led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and recorded for Capitol including It's Time We Parted which went to number 85 in Australia in 1964 as well as version of A World Without Love as well as Reprise which his last Australian hit was in 1968 with the Loving Things which went to number 48 in Australia and number 14 in Brisbane which he actually had no idea that it was an hit in Brisbane until Laurel Gary and Mark from 4KQ told him when they were interviewing him in 2014. He had an transplant on the liver and Kidney in 2012 and would continue to tour until recently sometimes with legendary American Teen idol singers Fabian and Frankie Avalon called the Golden Boys and also the Rydell High School in both Grease and Grease 2 was named after Bobby Rydell. My Mum Cath saw Bobby at the Festival Hall in the early 1960's and I saw him 3 times which first at Kedron Wavell Friday September 21st 2007 backed by the All Stars including Ian B Allen and Noel Tresider who was on the 1964 Beatles Australian tour and Betty McQuade known for Midnight Bus was the support act which was one of her last performances, 2nd was Kedron Wavell Friday May 28th 2010 whch the All Stars inclusing Ray Screamy Eames (from the Blue Jays who backed up Tony Worsley) and 3rd and last was also Kedron Wavell Saturday February 15th 2014 with the All Stars including Barry Roy on guitar which in the audience that night was Roger Jellicoe and Graeme Rabnott from the Brisbane group the Avengers, my cousin Gary And his partner Ros and friends Darryl, Elaine, Pauline and John and those 3 shows were FANTASTIC, got autographs and photos with Bobby which was an honour and an thrill as I have loved his music since the early 90's listening to 4KQ when I first heard those great songs. It is sad that he has passed away but has left an great legacy of music that will live on forever and these great songs sound as good as today which they are simple and great songs which you can never get tired of . He should be considered for the rock and roll hall of fame for the impact he has made on rock and roll and we will not Forget Him. Thank You for the legacy, the music and the memories.