Bobby Rydell - Songs

ABOUT

Bobby Rydell (April 26, 1942 - April 5, 2022) was a highly acclaimed and veteran pop/rock singer and highly sought-after nightclub and concert performer who was a teen idol and one of the top acts of the late 1950s through early 1960s. His long string of hits, which mainly cover early rock and roll along with some traditional pop, included such oldies classics as "Wild One," "Volare," and "Forget Him."

Born Robert Louis Ridarelli in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began singing and playing the drums in nightclubs as a child and later became a member of several local bands. He grew up in the same neighborhood as then-future fellow teen idols, Fabian and Frankie Avalon. At 19, he became the youngest performer ever to headline at the famous Copacabana nightclub in New York City.

Rydell made his debut on the Pop/Rock charts in 1959 with "Kissin' Time," which became a Top 20 hit and launched his national fame as a teen idol. This was followed by a long string of hits that also included "We Got Love" (1959), "Wild One" (1960), "Swingin' School" (1960), "Volare" (1960), "Good Time Baby" (1961), "The Cha-Cha-Cha" (1962), and "Forget Him" (1963), all of which made the Top 10. Other hits included "Little Bitty Girl" (1960), "Ding-A-Ling" (1960), "Sway" (1960), "That Old Black Magic" (1961), "The Fish" (1961), "I Wanna Thank You" (1961), "I've Got Bonnie" (1962), "I'll Never Dance Again" (1962), "Butterfly Baby" (1963), and "Wildwood Days" (1963), a song about a city in New Jersey then famous for its nightlife which eventually became that city's official anthem. Rydell and Chubby Checker also had a Christmas hit in 1961 with their cover of "Jingle Bell Rock" as originally made famous by Bobby Helms.

Rydell co-starred and performed with Ann-Margret in the movie musical, "Bye Bye Birdie" (1963). He made numerous TV appearances on such shows as "American Bandstand" and was a regular on "The Red Skelton Show." In both the Broadway musical and movie, "Grease," the story takes place mainly at Rydell High School which was named in his honor. Over the years, he amassed a huge fan base and toured actively, often performing with longtime friends, Fabian and Frankie Avalon.

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SONGS

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Bobby Rydell

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