Bob Gaudio Back in Bergenfield
March 31st, 2007Eunnie Park of NorthJersey.com caught up with former Bergenfield, New Jerseyite, Bob Gaudio. Before Jersey Boys and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Gaudio was a 15-year-old musical whiz from Bergenfield who had to decide between staying in school and touring with Chuck Berry. While his parents wanted him to stay in school, Paul Hoffmeister, Bergenfield High School’s principal at the time, convinced them otherwise. And it was this decision that Gaudio believes helped him become the world-famous songwriter he is today. Gaudio is scheduled to return to the school in the fall to receive an honorary high school diploma and to answer questions from students.
Here’s a preview of Bob Gaudio’s interview:
Q: I understand you left high school at age 15 and the high school principal had something to do with it?
A: Yeah, Paul Hoffmeister told my parents that I should seek that opportunity and stay with it and I could always come back to get my high school education — which I’m doing.
Q: What is your earliest memory associated with music?
A: Wow, I’ll say one of my most vivid memories is meeting Louis Armstrong when I was 15. We were doing a TV show, and he came over to say hello. Shaking that man’s hand was probably a bigger thrill than meeting [Elvis] Presley.
Read the entire story on NorthJersey.com.
So Mr. Gaudio does have some “old neighborhood” roots after all. That’s great. Nice story. I am sure that the high schools kids from Bergenfield will appreciate “local home town boy makes good” coming back home for an inspirational visit. Bergenfield is a very modest town by Bergen County New Jersey economic standards. I remember Bergenfield had one of the few running shoe stores back in the early ’80s that had a complete line of running shoes, which weren’t that many at the time anyway, Brooks, Saucony and a few others. It was on a small main street with many other stores for shopping. Nice little town as I recall.
Bergenfield doesn’t get a lot of press, but I believe it was the town recently featured in that “Home Makeover” show a few Sunday nights ago with Academy Award Winner Mary Maitland as the guest host.
Comment by David Cace — March 31, 2007 @ 11:24 am
The last time I saw Jersey Boys on March 11, I met a lovely couple who told me they were interior designers who just worked with Bob Gaudio in redecorating his home in Bergenfield. Small world! Irene Eizen
Comment by irene eizen — March 31, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
Wow–yeah, talk about small world, Irene. I worked at 120 Woodbine St. in Bergenfield for several years in the early 1980′s and remember that Matthew’s Diner on Washington Ave. had the best rice pudding. Wonder if we ever bumped into each other, David??
Good point about the neighborhood, David. We need to speak w/Marshall and Rick re amending Daniel’s last monologue. Bergenfield “Man of the Year-2007″ for Bob??
Comment by Howard Tucker — April 1, 2007 @ 4:51 pm