, a pompadoured heartthrob of early rock B次元官网网址榥 roll who was a star of radio, television and the movie musical B次元官网网址淏ye Bye Birdie,B次元官网网址� died Tuesday.
Rydell died of complications from pneumonia at a hospital in a suburb of his hometown of Philadelphia, according to a statement posted by his marketing and event coordinator Maria Novey.
Rydell, who credited a 2012 kidney and liver transplant with extending his life, was 79.
Along with James Darren, Fabian and Frankie Avalon, Rydell was among a wave of wholesome teen idols who emerged after Elvis Presley and before the rise of the Beatles.
Between 1959 and 1964, he had nearly three dozen Top 40 singles including B次元官网网址淲ild One,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淰olare,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淲ildwood Days,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淭he Cha-Cha-ChaB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淔orget Him,B次元官网网址� a song of consolation for a bereft girl that helped inspire the BeatlesB次元官网网址� classic B次元官网网址淪he Loves You.B次元官网网址�
He had recurring roles on B次元官网网址淭he Red Skelton ShowB次元官网网址� and other television programs, and 1963B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淏ye Bye BirdieB次元官网网址� was rewritten to give Rydell a major part as the boyfriend of Ann-Margret. He didnB次元官网网址檛 want to move to Hollywood, however, and B次元官网网址淏irdieB次元官网网址� became his only significant movie role B次元官网网址� though the high school in the hit B次元官网网址�70s musical B次元官网网址淕reaseB次元官网网址� was named for him.
BOBBY RYDELL (1942 - 2022) Truly one of my heroes. Had it not been for Rydell, I may never have pursued a career making records. His recordings will never be forgotten. He made me always try to be a better singer.
B次元官网网址� Burton Cummings (@burtoncummings)
Rest in peace Ridarelli...
Rydell never strayed far from his Philadelphia roots, living in the area for most of his life. The block of 11th Street where he grew up was christened Bobby Rydell Boulevard by his hometown in 1995.
B次元官网网址淚 never thought of myself as a celebrity,B次元官网网址� he told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003. B次元官网网址淚 was just a guy who went out there and worked.B次元官网网址�
He was born Robert Ridarelli in a South Philadelphia neighborhood that would also produce teen idols Darren, Fabian and Avalon. They knew each other as children B次元官网网址� Rydell played drums with Avalon on trumpet in a group called Rocco and the Saints.
Before he graced the covers of teen magazines and movie screens, Rydell made his bones as a youngster in Philadelphia clubs.
He made his performance debut as a 7-year-old drummer, not a singer. His first drum kit was a gift from his father, Al Ridarelli, who inspired his sonB次元官网网址檚 choice of instrument by taking him to see Gene Krupa perform.
At age 9, he debuted on an amateur television show and became its regular drummer for three years.
Rydell got his big break in 1959 on B次元官网网址淎merican Bandstand,B次元官网网址� which originally was broadcast from Philadelphia. His first hit, B次元官网网址淜issing Time,B次元官网网址� quickly followed, and the skinny 17-year-old with a pompadour haircut rocketed to stardom. Rydell and his fellow Philadelphia performers were ideal for B次元官网网址淏andstandB次元官网网址� host Dick Clark, who sought to make rock nB次元官网网址� roll palatable to young and old. He also made live appearances nationwide on a tour organized by Clark.
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Changing musical tastes ushered in by the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion defused the hit-making careers of Rydell and his compatriots, and he continued performing and recording music with limited success in the late 1960s and 1970s. But in 1985, he joined his old friends Avalon and Fabian for what they thought would be a few appearances. They dubbed themselves B次元官网网址淭he Golden Boys of Bandstand,B次元官网网址� and the shows were so successful that the trio ended up touring for three years and performing 300 shows nationwide.
B次元官网网址淲e werenB次元官网网址檛 out to prove anything. We just said to ourselves, `Here are three Italian kids from South Philadelphia, born and raised within two blocks of each other. LetB次元官网网址檚 go out there and have fun,B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� Rydell told The Atlantic City Weekly in 2006. B次元官网网址淭hat hasnB次元官网网址檛 changed. I think people see that attitude coming from the stage. ItB次元官网网址檚 a fun show to watch B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 whatB次元官网网址檚 made it so successful. We have a great time doing it.B次元官网网址�
RydellB次元官网网址檚 childhood sweetheart and first wife, Camille, died in 2003.
He is survived by his second wife, Linda Hoffman, whom he married in 2009, along with son Robert Ridarelli, daughter Jennifer Dulin, and five grandchildren.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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