UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 2
September 12, 1996
Homecoming '96: Bobby Rydell and Mary Wilson

     Stop! In the name of love or nostalgia.. or great music! The
Bob Carpenter Center is where you'll want to be on Friday, Oct.
18, when hit songman Bobby Rydell and The Supremes with Mary
Wilson take the stage at 8 p.m. for a smash oldies concert
sponsored by PNC Bank.
     Hear The Supremes songs you still love, including "Baby
Love," "Where Did Our Love Go," "Back In My Arms Again" and "You
Can't Hurry Love," as well as Rydell's golden era hits, such as
"Volare," "Wild One," "Forget Him" and "We Got Love."


     Bobby Rydell

     Rydell's career spans several decades and encompasses nearly
every area of the entertainment world. From his debut in the late
'50s as a rock 'n' roll teen idol to starring roles in such films
as Bye Bye Birdie  and such plays as West Side Story to countless
appearances on television shows from Ed Sullivan to American
Bandstand, Rydell's name has become a household word.
     His recording career earned him 34 Top-40 records, putting
him among the elite group of artists who have sold a combined
total of more than 25 million records.
     Rydell lives in suburban Philadelphia, not far from where he
spent his childhood.
     Married with two children, he is a visible fan of all of the
professional sporting teams in the city.
     With two fellow teen idols, Frankie Avalon and Fabian,
Rydell toured for three years in the hit show, The Golden Boys of
Bandstand, seen by more than 400,000 people.


     Mary Wilson of The Supremes

     Growing up in Detroit's Brewster Projects, Wilson fantasized
about being a singer. When she was only 13, she befriended
Florence Ballard, Diana Ross and Betty Travis. The quartet formed 
a singing group, calling themselves the Primettes.
     The group auditioned and was signed by Motown Records.
     Eventually, the group became a trio consisting of Wilson,
Ballard and Ross, which necessitated a name change, and the group
known as The Supremes was born.
     The group went on to have 12 number-one singles, record
nearly 40 albums and was one of the most influential, memorable
and successful icons of the turbulent 1960s.
     A testimony to the group's impact was seen when Wilson
shared the stage with Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr and George
Harrison in January 1988, when The Supremes was inducted into the
Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The group also has a star on
Hollywood's legendary Walk of Fame.
     In addition to her singing, Wilson
     had a featured role in the film, Brown Sugar, and in the
musical documentary, Girl Groups.
     In 1988, she was featured in Beehive, a musical tribute to
the female groups of the '60s. Wilson has written two well-
received books on her experience as a Supreme- Dreamgirl.. My Life
as a Supreme and Supreme Faith... Someday We'll Be Together.
     Her recent CD for CEO, entitled Walk The Line, features all
new material and received rave reviews in Billboard magazine.
     Tickets for the Oct. 18 show, currently on sale, are $16.50
for the general public, $15 for UD faculty and staff, $8 for
students and $10 for groups of l0 or more.
     Tickets are available at the box offices in the Bob
Carpenter Center and Trabant University Center in Newark and by
phone from Ticketmaster at 984-2000 or (215) 336-2000. For
information, call UD1-HENS.
                                                     -Gerry Elter