Bob Rydell, a Philadelphia-born singer who became an adolescent idol in the late 1950s and, with his amiable voice, onstage presence, and good-guy demeanor, kept a devoted following on tour long after both he and his original fans were well past retirement age, has died. He was 79 years old.
According to a representative from the company, Ms. Novey, complications related to pneumonia were to blame.
Mr. Rydell and two other likeable performers, Frankie Avalon and Fabian, grew up only a few blocks from each other in South Philadelphia. They had great success on the oldies circuit long after their days on the pop chart had passed them by. The trio has toured extensively together since 1985 under the name Golden Boys and are still touring
Mr. Rydell not only had staying power; he also made a comeback after years of drinking, which he chronicled in his autobiography “Bobby Rydell: Teen Idol on the Rocks” (2016), written with guitarist and producer Allan Slutsky. In July 2012, he received a kidney and liver transplant near death.
The decade between 1959, when Elvis Presley was in the military and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash, and 1964, when Beatlemania swept across America, is known as Mr. Rydell’s recording prime. It also didn’t hurt that Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” was broadcast from Philadelphia, the home of Cameo Records
Mr. Rydell’s repertoire included wistful love ballads; danceable tunes that were sometimes frantic, such as “Wild One” and “Swingin’ School,” which had occasional frenetic rockers like “Wild One,” and songs like Domenico Modugno’s 1958 hit “Volare,” which became Mr. R
Mr. Rydell was a pop phenomenon, but he wasn’t a cutting-edge rock star. He nonetheless sold far more records than some of his contemporaries, though. In his recording profession, he has achieved 19 Top 40 singles and 34 Top 100 hits. His name alone may conjure up an entire decade: The 1960s rock musical ”
Robert Louis Ridarelli was born on April 26, 1942, in the city of Philadelphia to Adrio and Jennie (Sapienza) Ridarelli. His father was a machine shop foreman. On October 2, 1995, the City of Philadelphia held a ceremony to rename South 11th Street where he grew up as Bobby Ryd.
His 1963 song “Wildwood Days” was a tribute to Wildwood, New Jersey, the beach resort where his grandmother ran a boardinghouse and where he spent his early summers; like Philadelphia, it was later given an honorary street-name in honour of Mr. Rydell.
In a field where beauty was sometimes valued above talent, he stood out. He was more than just a pretty face; he was a real musician. His father, a big band lover, would take him to see Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw at the Earle Theater in Philadelphia when he was little. At the age of 6, Bobby declared that
When he was nine, Bobby appeared on Philadelphia television’s bandleader Paul Whiteman’s amateur talent show, “TV Teen Club,” and went on to appear on the program for three years. His father shortened the boy’s name to Rydell for the program.
After having performed as the drummer for a local group, Rocco and the Saints, which included Frankie Avalon on trumpet, Mr. Rydell broke out as a solo vocalist. His debut three songs on Cameo Records were failures, but he found success in 1959 with “Kissin’ Time,” which Dick Clark liked immediately.
