Bobby Rydell has it all - good looks, fame and talent to spare. He was the real American teenage idol.

Bobby Ridarelli, who later became Bobby Rydell, performed as early as kindergarten doing impressions of movie stars. He got his early grounding in music from his father when they would frequent Philadelphia's big band hotspots. He then saw Gene Krupa perform with Benny Goodman's orchestra and immediately wanted to follow in Krupa's footsteps.

At nine he won the TV Teen Club amateur contest and became a regular performer. In his early teens he joined Rocco and the Saints as their drummer. The trumpeter Francis Avallone, who later became the singer Frankie Avalon. It was soon after this that Bobby worked up a solo act as Bobby Rydell.

He was soon recording for Cameo-Parkway and the hits really flowed as Bobby Rydell became an international teenage sensation. Rockin' up the charts all around the world were 'We Got Love', 'Kissing Time', 'Wild One', Swinging School', 'Volare', 'Sway', 'Good Time Baby' 'That Old Black Magic', 'I Wanna Thank You', 'Butterfly Baby', 'I've Got Bonnie', 'I'll Never Dance Again', 'The Cha Cha Cha', 'Wildwood Days' and 'Forget Him'.

Of all the teen idols of the day the singing of Bobby Rydell was unquestionably the most polished.

As well as selling millions of records Bobby Rydell was a regular on many television shows, especially Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and has remained a strong concert attraction over the decades throughout the world. He featured in the Columbia movie 'Bye Bye Birdie' and 'That Lady From Peking'.

Bobby Rydell's influence on popular music has been quite profound. When the producers of the world's largest selling movie soundtrack album, 'Grease', wanted to pay tribute to the era in which it was set they named the school where most of the action took place as Rydell High.

Bobby Rydell toured Australia with the Allstars during September 2007 and is returning in early 2009.

For further information please contact

Ian B Allen OAM
0418 567 526
Post Office Box 101
Seaford VIC 3198
Australia

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