Biography
Robert Ridarelli, 26 April 1942, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Probably the most musically talented of the late 50s Philadelphia school of clean-cut teen-idols, Rydell first performed in public as a drummer at the age of seven. At nine he debuted on Paul Whiteman’s Teen Club amateur television show and was the show’s regular drummer for three years. He attended the same boys club as Fabian and Frankie Avalon, formed a duo with Avalon in 1954 and shortly afterwards, they both joined local group Rocco And The Saints. After several rejections from labels, he recorded his first solo single ‘Fatty Fatty’ for his manager’s Veko label. In 1958 he joined Cameo-Parkway Records and his fourth release for that label, ‘Kissin’ Time’ (which owed something to ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’), became the first of his 18 US Top 40 hits over the next four years. The photogenic pop/rock singer’s best-known transatlantic hits are...
Read the Full Biography of Bobby Rydell
|
OLDIES.com on
|
