The Royal Guardsmen Biography
As if to prove just about any topic could become a hit song, the Royal Guardsmen made a career in the mid-60s out of writing about Snoopy, the dog in the Peanuts comic strip. The band, formed in 1966 in Ocala, Florida, USA, comprised Chris Nunley (vocals), Tom Richards (lead guitar), Barry Winslow (rhythm guitar/vocals), Bill Balogh (guitar), Billy Taylor (organ) and John Burdette (drums). That same year, under the management of Phil Gernhard, they signed to Laurie Records and recorded a novelty tune, "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron", which ultimately peaked at number 2 in the US chart in January 1967 and eventually reached number 8 in the UK chart that same year. Capitalizing on the debut's success, they recorded further Snoopy songs - "The Return Of The Red Baron", "Snoopy's Christmas" and "Snoopy For President" - as well as other novelty songs. One 1967 single, "Airplane Song (My Airplane)", was written by Michael Martin Murphey, who had his own US number 3 hit in 1975 with "Wildfire". The Royal Guardsmen disbanded in 1968.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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