Christina Writes:
The first time I met Bobby Rydell the summer of 03, I was 21 years old. I was in Wildwood NJ to see Bobby Rydell in concert. The show had just ended and I wanted to see if I could meet him. There was a large group of people waiting near a building close to where the show was so my friend and I waited around there. Of course I had a few people comment on my age and ask what I was doing there. I said that I was there to see Bobby Rydell. About an hour later the crowd dwindled down to about five people. Soon it was only my friend and I. I noticed this guy waving at me, calling me over. He told me that to go over to where the stage was set up, Bobby was over there. I walked over in a daze. Even though I knew Bobby was over there, I was taken completely by surprise. Words cannot describe how I felt to see him off stage. He was so nice to me. I asked him to take a picture with me. I had 2 cameras with me that night. If anything happened to one, I had another. I wasn't taking any chances that night. But my friend was using the wrong camera, so I yelled to her "the other camera." And Bobby Said, "Is that the good camera?" Then I asked Bobby to sign a pic of him from his younger days that I had with me. I remember Bobby saying "What happened to me?" I could not talk. I wanted to say something but I could not form any words. I even walked away without saying anything. I felt so bad after for not saying Thank You. I remember lying in bed that night, extremely excited, thinking I just met Bobby Rydell. I would like to thank Bobby for a great memory! 

Kathy Writes:
I am now 57 but was a still just a very young teen when "Forget Him" was such a great big hit for Bobby. I had the little square record player in my room with the 45 of that record and I played it over and over and over again. My mom, who also was a "hip" mom loved it too, but had just about enough of it and told me to Forget Him!!!!! I was so "in love" with Bobby and dreamed of him like so many young girls. I followed the teen magazines, saw him in Bye, Bye Birdie and it even inspired me to get the lead in our own school production of the play. I could only dream of meeting him someday. Well, years went by, but I finally had my chance a few years ago when Bobby came to Mentor, Ohio and played at the Performing Arts Center. It was a brief introduction and he signed my program, but nevertheless it was a thrill I had waited for all my life! In addition, the same fabulous voice, the personality and I only saw the same gorgeous Bobby Rydell with just a little different hair color! He has not missed a beat. I also saw him in Cleveland when he toured with the Golden Boys. Great show as well. No one will ever take my memories away of sitting in my room and listening to my little record player thinking "Gee, what if I could meet him, what would I say, would he notice me, etc." Ahhhhh, the good ole days. 

Carol Writes:
I remember the first time I heard "Kissin Time". I was in the 7th grade and starting to see boys as cute and wonderful -- not icky like I thought. I loved this new record. This young man, Bobby Rydell by name, had the best voice ever. I began to scan the teen magazines now and saw that handsome face -- I WAS IN LOVE! I would save up nickels, dimes and quarters from babysitting to buy a magazine that had Bobby in it. If I saved long enough, I could buy his record and hope that my "older" sister (who loved Elvis) would let me use her record player. When she was out, I'd sneak it out and play Bobby's records over and over. At Christmas or a birthday, the best gift ever was anything Bobby. I fell even more head over heels when I saw him on Bandstand the first time. WHAT A THRILL....he was not only handsome, but he had a few cool moves that set a young teen's heart racing. I was also fortunate that Bobby appeared on TV shows that my "father" watched.....I never was able to attend any concerts when I was a teenager, but I never lost my "teenage crush" on Bobby. The first time I saw him perform ever was in February, 2004. I will never forget it. It was a dream come true. It took me back in time and I felt so alive and so young again. I've seen Bobby several times since, and he still brings back those same feelings. When you get a chance to talk to him, he is a warm, kind and genuine. Thank you, Bobby, for all the joy you have given us. Thank you for continuing to do so. You are a "National Treasure" of talent and warm heartedness.

Cliff Writes:
I was but 13 years old,born and bred in a small city in Queensland, Australia called Townsville. I always heard the sounds of Bobby Rydell on the monaural radio stations hit parades of the day. I somehow acquired McRobertson's (an Aussie chocolate company now defunct) booklet of teen stars of the day with pics and bios of Bobby Rydell, Gene McDaniels, Helen Shapiro and a host of other great singers. Where that little booklet is today is anyone's guess...??...My older brother,Gordon gave me an LP for my 14th birthday...A duet album with Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell singing each others hits .I might still have that album..!!??...I have been playing guitar since I was 14 and am now playing in a duo performing at clubs and hotels in Sydney/Australia. I am happy to say that we perform Bobby's great song "The Cha Cha Cha" to this day.

Nathalie Writes....How I became a Bobby Rydell fan
I'm 55 now..... 8 was ever so long ago. When I was growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, my best friend across the street, Debbie Gordon, had a sister, Jackie, that was about ten years older. Jackie had posters of Fabian and Bobby Rydell in her bedroom and she listened to their music. So, that is how I was introduced to Bobby's music. Both Debbie and I loved his music and his handsome face!

When we were in elementary school, Debbie and I would play with our Barbie and Ken dolls. Our dolls lived in a mythical town called "Volare" that Debbie invented. Our dolls would have adventures in Volare. The Barbie dolls became ourselves and our Ken dolls were Bobby Rydell and Fabian. Since we couldn't have TWO Bobby Rydells we would always fight about which Ken doll would be Bobby Rydell that day.

Once, when we were older, in that transition time between records and cassette tapes, I borrowed one of her BR albums to tape. It had the song "Toys" on it, which is my number two song next to "Forget Him". I played the album on my record player and had my cassette player on the floor next to it -- so I taped the entire record onto a cassette tape. I kept her record about two weeks and one day Debbie called me up and was really anxious to get her record back -- she was afraid something might happen to it!

My friend Debbie died of cancer in 1995, and I still miss her, but she was a true blue Bobby Rydell fan to the end.

Vicky Writes.....
I remember going to the record store in my teens and getting Bobby's LPs as they came out. Our player in the house was just a simple square box, but we didn't know any better and it was always a thrill listening to Bobby sing. Being on an island outside Manila, we didn't get those teen magazines in our bookstores/newstands at all. Luckily, an elder brother of mine went to school in Manila and would bring me some on his summer vacations. A fire gutted out my pictures of Bobby in a scrapbook.

After many years of unending admiration, I was finally able to see Bobby in person in Las Vegas and again in San Francisco. I'm so grateful for being able to see him in person after all those years. I just want to say, THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart for living up to my expectations.

Bob Writes
My wife knows that I have been a fan of yours for many many years and surprised me with tickets to your show. I am so glad she did. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for an absolutely wonderful evening and meaningful trip down memory lane. Hearing you sing reminded me of many wonderful times in my life & many of whom who are now gone. As a psychologist as I looked around the theatre and observed the crowd I could not help but think that people really do want and seek important connections to their past and the good times that your music represents. The first thing I did on Saturday was to call Uncle Ace and spend an hour on the phone telling him about the concert and sharing experiences.