eddie rambeau

Eddie Rambeau’s career is impressive in both its length and its depth. Born in Hazleton in 1943, Rambeau is one of the signature artists to trace their roots back to the southern half of Luzerne County. He was an icon in his hometown before he even graduated from Hazleton High School, performing with the Hazleton Chorolairs and starring in and writing his high school play, Down on the Farm.

Rambeau found a great ally in fellow Hazleton native Bud Rehak, who served as Rambeau’s manager, musical accompanist, and songwriting partner. Rehak helped Rambeau prepare for his first national appearance on Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour in 1960. Upon returning to Luzerne County and the sock hop circuit, Rambeau leaned into his Johnnie Ray-esque style and caught the attention of Plymouth-based disc jockey Jim Ward, who, in turn, had connections to Swan Records in Philadelphia. Rambeau signed with Swan after a marathon audition process and saw the release of his first single “Skin Divin’” on the day of his high school graduation. Despite moving to Philadelphia early in his career, Rambeau returned to Northeast Pennsylvania regularly. 

Rambeau’s successes were as both a singer and a songwriter, making him an extremely valuable talent in the music industry of the early 1960s. He released two major singles in 1962: “My Four Leaf Clover Love” and “Summertime Guy,” the latter of which went on to be the theme song of The Newlywed Game. Rambeau also co-wrote the song “The Push and Kick” in 1962, and the song became a Top 40 Billboard hit for Mark Valentino.

Bob Crewe, best known as a close collaborator of the Four Seasons, brought on Rambeau as one of his staff songwriters, and the results were stunning. Rambeau, Rehak, and Crewe teamed up to pen “Navy Blue,” which peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Diane Renay in March 1964. A sequel song, “Kiss Me Sailor,” was also written by Rambeau and Rehak, recorded by Renay, and hit the Billboard charts. Other artists who recorded songs written or co-written by Rambeau include the Four Seasons, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Frank Sinatra Jr. The competition for these songs on the charts were the hitmakers of the British Invasion, most notably the Beatles.

While scouting out new sounds in the United Kingdom, Crewe found a demo by the band Unit 4 + 2 called “Concrete and Clay.” Though Rambeau was a bit unimpressed with the song, he agreed to record his own version, and it became the most successful single of his career. Rambeau’s “Concrete and Clay” was recorded and released in 1965, and raced Unit 4 + 2’s version up the Billboard charts, ultimately peaking at number 35. The peculiar dynamic between the two versions of “Concrete and Clay” led many fans to question which was the original, as most radio stations would only play one or the other.

The fuller sound of Rambeau’s “Concrete and Clay” hit big in the powerful California market, and this momentum got him invited to appear twice on Shindig! By this point, Rambeau was practically a veteran of the variety show scene, having also appeared on American Bandstand, Where The Action Is, and Hullabaloo. At the height of his popularity, Rambeau was the subject of an international fan club and was sharing bills with some of the biggest artists of the time, including Sonny & Cher, the Dave Clark Five, and the Beach Boys.

The album Eddie Rambeau Sings Concrete And Clay was released in 1965 and, besides the title track, featured a number of Rambeau’s most well-known tracks, including “I Just Need Your Love,” “Yesterday’s Newspapers,” and “Don’t Believe Him.” Covers of pop standards, such as “King of the Road” and “It’s Not Unusual,” fit snugly amongst the Rambeau originals, and subsequent songs “My Name is Mud” and “The Train” were hits in Canada.

Rambeau turned his attention to other forms of entertainment — especially acting — following the mid-1960s, but music remains an important part of his creative output. He was among the first people to record the song “Good Morning Starshine” from the musical Hair. Coincidentally, he later appeared on Broadway in Hair, and also was a cast member in other shows, including Jesus Christ Superstar. Rambeau continued to act and perform as the decades went on, and was particularly popular on cruise ships.

In recent years, Rambeau’s creative juices have continued to flow. He has added photography and fiction writing to his resume, having written two novels: Forbidden Steps and From a Distant Mirror. In addition, he continues to record new and original music. Ever the showman, Eddie Rambeau is still as prolific as he was decades ago.