Teddy Randazzo

Teddy Randazzo never achieved the same level of prominence as certain other rock & roll figures who emerged from New York during the 1950s, among them Dion, whose stardom proved both greater and more enduring, or the individual members of Jay & the Americans, whose chart success extended into the early 1970s. Even so, Randazzo enjoyed a period in the spotlight as a performer while also composing hundreds of songs, dozens of which received notable recordings. Born in Brooklyn in 1937, he benefited from a musical household and, by age fifteen, had advanced sufficiently on the accordion to begin working professionally. He joined the Three Chuckles after the group sought a new keyboardist and vocalist; with guidance from the older Tommy Romano and Russ Gilberto, his singing gradually matured. Once the ensemble began cutting sides, the tracks featuring Randazzo’s voice achieved the earliest traction, and by 1955, at seventeen, he had become the group’s frontman. Their number-one success “And the Angels Sing,” driven by a rocking rhythm, drew the notice of deejay Alan Freed, who cast the act in his initial jukebox film Rock, Rock, Rock—filmed in New York’s Bronx—and also granted Randazzo a solo sequence.

Following the movie’s release, Randazzo opted for a solo path. He continued to record for Vik Records, an RCA Victor subsidiary, scoring a modest 1958 hit with “Little Serenade” and appearing in Freed’s subsequent picture Mister Rock And Roll as well as the 20th Century-Fox CinemaScope color feature The Girl Can't Help It, among other films. In 1960 he signed with ABC-Paramount, where “The Way of a Clown” became another minor success, and in 1963 he placed “Big Wide World” on the Colpix label. Yet his most substantial contributions came as a songwriter and producer; across subsequent decades he penned roughly 650 songs, many recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra and Dionne Warwick. Co-written with Bob Weinstein, “Pretty Blue Eyes” reached number one for Steve Lawrence. His longest-running association was with Little Anthony & the Imperials, for whom he also served as producer and supplied such hits as “Going Out of My Head,” “I'm on the Outside Looking In,” and “Hurt so Bad,” later covered by Linda Ronstadt.

As the 1960s progressed, Randazzo receded from view, and by the 1970s he was remembered chiefly by oldies enthusiasts. He remained active behind the scenes as a songwriter and made occasional stage appearances, yet his primary livelihood derived from steady royalty income. He concentrated on local production work in Florida and especially Hawaii, and enjoyed a fulfilling second marriage; his son from his first marriage, Teddy Randazzo, Jr., later built his own successful music career. Randazzo passed away in his sleep in 2003.