Bobby Valentino

Bobby Valentino (born Robert James Beckingham, 22 June 1954) is a British musician, violinist and singer. Career Born in Chatham, Kent, he adopted the stage name Bobby Valentino in 1975. Valentino's first success was as a founding member of the Fabulous Poodles, but he is most often recognised as the violinist and co-writer of the #1 hit single "Young at Heart", by the Bluebells. After leaving the Fabulous Poodles in the early 1980s, Valentino was a member of the Electric Bluebirds before joining the Hank Wangford Band at the beginning of 1984. The British country band already included pedal steel guitarist B. J. Cole (Cochise) and former Liverpool Scene/Scaffold/ guitarist Andy Roberts. Soon after joining the Hank Wangford Band, Valentino was performing with them in a pub when members of the Bluebells heard his playing, and asked him to join them in recording "Young at Heart". In the five years that Valentino was part of Wangford's band they recorded three albums; filmed two TV series for Channel 4 – The A-Z of C&W and Big Big Country, which attracted audiences of between two and four million at a time when The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross was being watched by 750,000; performed and wrote an acclaimed and record breaking musical: C. H. A. P. S (Cowboy, Horseriding Acting Performance Studio) at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East (their previous record was held by Oh, What a Lovely War!); toured constantly all over the United Kingdom and Europe and made numerous other radio and television appearances. These included a TV special, Christmas in Strangeways showing the band in concert on Boxing Day with a captive audience in Manchester's Victorian jail.