Rydell keeps those ‘Wildwood Days’ on the calendar

It is the great, annual rebirth of the region. An amazing rejuvenation that breathes life into an area often frustrated – even depressed – by the longreaching tentacles of winter.

Finally, Memorial Day is around the corner. And with it comes, not only the warm weather, but all of the accompanying activities of summer. Undoubtedly, we will experience some of those days when people feel obligated to remark with wonder, “This is why we live here.”

Or, in the edgy, more typical Philly style, “This is why we put up with all of the crappy weather throughout the rest of the year … for a few of these days.”

There is no mistaking that the attitude of people living in the Greater Philadelphia area improves at this time of year. And a big part of that metamorphosis comes from plans for summer at the Jersey Shore.

Philly’s love affair with the Jersey Shore is like no other region in the country. There have been television shows, movies and many, many songs about it.

And nobody has done more, in terms of romanticizing the Jersey Shore, than Philly’s own Rock n’ Roll Walk of Famer Bobby Rydell.

Throughout six decades of musical fame – from the street corners of South Philly, to Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, to Hollywood movies, to so many concert tours – Rydell has kept his fans snapping their fingers and tapping their feet.

He’s had four No. 1 hits – beginning with “Wild One” – but no song captures the feeling of the Jersey Shore more than his immortal “Wildwood Days.” Spring will soon be gone. Summer’s comin’ on. And I’m dreamin’ of Lots of summer love. That’s the start of “Wi-WiWildwood Days,” which has become the official song of the city of Wildwood. Play it at any party and dancers immediately break out their best jitterbug moves.

Today, at age 76, the former teen idol may not be doing as much jitterbugging as he did a few decades ago.

He still lives on the Main Line, his home for many years.

But he no longer spends time at Cedarbrook Country Club in Ambler – where he en-

joyed many years of playing golf and poker with one of his best friends, the late Don Cannon. They were like Batman and Robin – singing star and popular disc jockey. The stories were legendary.

Today his stories live on in the book he released in 2016 – “Bobby Rydell, Teen Idol on the Rocks.”

And now there is another excellent opportunity to get an up close and personal look at Rydell, thanks to the Philly Soundcast podcast available on the internet. This series of interviews with rock n’ roll legends is hosted by radio veterans Doug Schaub and Eddie Caiazzo. It can be found by going to facebook.com or youtube. com, typing in Philly Soundcast and scrolling down to the Bobby Rydell show.

From there, the journey beings … in candid detail.

Rydell talks about his boyhood days, when he was hauled onto stages throughout South Philly by his promoter/father. He would sing, dance and do impressions. Then he got involved by playing the drums in teen bands. One of those gigs, at Bayshores in Somers Point, attracted the attention of an agent and his career was launched.

He also talks about the excitement of touring at a young age, sleeping in the luggage rack of the tour buses and seeing the world at a young age.

There is also the frank admission of his later life battle with alcoholism and dealing with a number of health issues.

He admits, “Vodka became a very, very dear friend.”

And he tells of a double transplant in 2012: “I needed a new liver and a new kidney because I was drinking so much.”

But, through all of the entertaining audio interviews, there is one unmistakable common thread – his signature South Philly accent.

He cuts off his words in neighborhood style. The suffix “–ing” does not exist. He talks about “ly-berries” and “pichures” and “gettin’ tru the tough times.”

Luckily, Rydell seems to be in a better place now. His book and his Philly Soundcast interview give testimony to that.

And, through the replaying of his songs all summer long, many locals also will find themselves in a better place. Wi-Wi-Wildwood Days Every day’s a holiday And every night is a Saturday night.

Tony Leodora is president of TL Golf Services, host of the weekly GolfTalk Live radio show on WNTP 990-AM and host of the Traveling Golfer television show — as well as editor of GolfStyles magazine. He is former sports editor of The Times Herald. Send comments to tlgolfservices@aol.com.