Bobby Rydell

Robert Ridarelli was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 26, 1942. Introduced by his father to the music of the big band era, Bobby wanted to be musician and as a pre-teen was an accomplished drummer, also playing the guitar and piano before becoming a singer.

Winning a Paul Whiteman TV competition, Bobby Rydell was well on the way to being a recording star. At seventeen years of age his “Kissin” Time” charted but it was his second release in 1959, “We Got Love”, that gave Bobby his first top ten hit. Three more million selling top ten hits in 1960, “Wild One”, “Swingin’ School” and “Volare” made Bobby Rydell a big teen idol of the era. His “The Cha-Cha-Cha” in 1962 and “Forget Him” in 1963 also made the top ten nationally.

Among Bobby’s other hits were, “Sway”, “Good Time Baby”, “Jingle Bell Rock”, “I’ll Never Dance Again” and “Wildwood Days”.

Starring in the motion picture, Bye Bye Birdie”, Bobby also performed at New York’s famed Copacobana night club to a standing room only crowd.

In 2007 Bobby Rydell was a nominee at the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.