Richie & The Royals (5)

Richie & The Royals (5) (Philadelphia)


Personnel :

Richie Benatti (Lead)

Rob Shaner (First Tenor)

Al Marrone (Second Tenor)

Norm Shaner (Baritone)

Bob Beato (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1961 - And When I'm Near You / Goody Goody (Rello 1)
1962 - Be My Girl / We're Strollin' (Rello 3/Golden Crest 573)

Unreleased :
1961 - Glad You're My Girl (Rello)
1961- Oh What a Nite (acap) (Rello)
1961 - What Chance Have I  (Rello)
1961 - Glad You're My Girl  (Rello)
1961- I Only Want You (acap) (Rello)

Biography :

Richie & the Royals were from South Philly and raised on the same corner as Anthony Maresco, 20th &Moore. Anthony was Anthony & Sophomores, Tony & Dynamics & Twilighters. Richie Benatti adored the older Maresco and tried to copy his style in singing. Richie didn't have the voice that Anthony had but Richie had the better look. The group went to South Philly High and used to sing in the halls and bathrooms of the school, they were heard by one of their teacher's, Steve Toderello. Steve felt they needed a manager and producer so he signed the group and got them into a recording studio. The group's first release was "And When I'm Near You" b/w "Goody Goody"on Steve's Rello label. The group appeared at record hops and the girls screamed for the five good looking guys and the record began to climb the charts in Philly.

Richie & The Royals

The record never got national exposure because Steve's first venture into owning a label  caused him to realize  he wasn't ready for the big time yet. The next record released was this record and getting back to my first line, it was an interesting record mainly because Anthony Maresca recorded this song on the Jalynne label in '60 so Richie felt he had to do thais song. Steve released it in Philly and within two weeks struck a deal with Clark Galehouse to distribute the record nationally on his Golden Crest label.  Another interesting story is the flip side of this record, another Philly record called "We're Strollin'" which is the same song with a change in lyrics as the Philly's Fabulaires "While Walking" and was also recorded by other Philly groups, The Del-Aires and Tony & Raindrops. Al Kelly

Songs :

        
Be My Girl                     And When I'm Near You                  I Only Want You

        
     Goody Goody                        We're Strollin'                    What Chance Have I

      
Oh What a Nite                       I Only Want You                         Glad You're My Girl

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