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Music icon Bobby Rydell passed away on April 5 at the age of 79. He died a few days before his 80th birthday, as confirmed by radio legend Jerry Blavat, one of his longtime friends.
Blavat said:
“Out of all the kids, he had the best pipes and was the greatest entertainer. He told the best stories, did the best impersonations and was the nicest guy.”
Bobby Rydell’s cause of death
Bobby Rydell died from complications of pneumonia at Abington Jefferson Hospital on Tuesday. There is no information on how long he was hospitalized.
In 2012, Rydell canceled an Australian tour after his health deteriorated significantly and he needed emergency surgery.
He underwent a double organ transplant in July 2012 to replace his liver and a kidney at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Six months after the double transplant surgery, he returned to the stage in Las Vegas in January 2013.
Rydell continued to perform internationally and returned to tour Australia in 2014.
Career
Born Robert Louis Ridarelli on April 26, 1942, Bobby Rydell took to music at a very young age. According to Variety, he performed in various nightclubs in the Philly/South Jersey area when he was only 7.
In 1950, Rydell won a talent show on the television series Paul Whiteman’s TV Teen Club. His win saw him become a regular in the series.
Rydell then played for several bands across Philadelphia. He soon signed a recording contract with Cameo Records, and his song, Kissin’ Time, topped the charts in 1959.
The That Lady from Perking star released a song called Wildwood Days in 1963, and it reached the 17th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
He gained recognition for his performance as Hugo Peabody in the 1963 musical romantic comedy film Bye Bye Birdie.
Rydell delivered several hits during the 1960s, and they all made it to the Billboard Hot 100 charts. He had 34 Top 100 hits in his recording career, placing him in the Top 5 artists of his era. His last big hit was Forget Him, which secured the fourth spot on Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.
Rydell then signed with Capitol Records. However, because of the British Invasion, several personalities, including Rydell, suffered a decline in popularity.
He later performed on many television programs like The Red Skelton Show, The Danny Thomas Show, Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, The George Burns Show, and The Milton Berle Show.
Rydell also served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 103rd Engineer Battalion.
U.K. music magazine NME announced in 1968 that Rydell signed a recording contract with Reprise Records. He performed in nightclubs, supper clubs, and Las Vegas venues between the 1970s and 1980s.
Netizens pay tribute on Twitter
Bobby Rydell was considered a teen idol in the early 1960s. He remains a popular name in the entertainment industry today.
When his death was confirmed, many fans took to Twitter to express their grief:
Rydell is survived by his wife Linda Hoffman, two children from his previous marriage to Camille Quattrone, and five grandchildren.
