Bobby Rydell Searching For His Missing Music

By Pat Ciarrocchi

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --  When Bobby Rydell sings, he always hits the perfect note.

But when you're his orchestra, on piano, trombone, or the drums, you need the music.

"I mean you can't tell 13 musicians to fake. You know, play whatever you want to play," Bobby Rydell said.

That's why Bobby, his wife Linda and his drummer Dave were in a near panic Saturday night after packing up following a performance at Marple Newtown High School.

"She looks in the rear view mirror, meaning my wife, and the hatch is like this. She said 'Oh my God, we better stop and see if everything is in there,'" Rydell said.

A dark purple carry-on sized suitcase with all the arrangements for virtually every Bobby Rydell hit rolled out of the open hatch and is gone.

"My whole nightclub act, including of course Volare, Sway, Wild One," he said. "We're talking somewhere in the vicinity of $25,000 to $30,000 dollars worth of charts."

"It's my life, it's my career," he added.

They stayed up all night reprinting the arrangements from disc for a Sunday night fundraiser with a 13-piece orchestra.

In between, they retraced the drive.

"We were on Ellis Road and we backtracked all the way back to the school. Going back, and coming back down again on West Chester Pike," he said.

Rydell posted an appeal on Facebook and on Twitter and is offering a reward.

"Matter of fact, I think it's going to be a meatball sandwich and a pretty good one. There will be financial reward," he said.

Rydell has always seen his work a gift.

Two years after a liver and kidney transplant, we talked at his home right after surgery on the same sofa where we sat today.

By comparison, Rydell is a new man.

"And now I'm back. I'm blessed. I'm really truly blessed," he said.

If you find the music, Bobby says message him on Twitter or Facebook.

He may sing for you.

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