The Royal Guardsmen

The Royal Guardsmen formed in Ocala, Florida in 1966 with Bill Balogh on bass, John Burdette on drums, Tom Richards on guitar, Billy Taylor on organ, Barry Winslow on vocals and guitar and Chris Nunley on vocals. That same year, under the management of Phil Gernhard, they signed to Laurie Records.

In the mid-to-late '60s, Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip was at its peak of popularity. One of the focal points of the strip was Charlie Brown's beagle Snoopy. One of the recurring themes of the Snoopy strips was his fantasy exploits as a World War I flying ace trying to defeat Baron Von Richthofen, aka "The Red Baron." His doghouse doubled as a Sopwith Camel biplane.

The great Charles Schulz, creater of “Peanuts”, endorsed this amazing group! Mr. Schulz even did caricatures of The Royal Guardsmen next to Snoopy's Doghouse, which was used on the cover of The Guardsmen's “Snoopy and His Friends” album!
The Royal Guardsmen formed in Ocala, Florida in 1966 with Bill Balogh on bass, John Burdette on drums, Tom Richards on guitar, Billy Taylor on organ, Barry Winslow on vocals and guitar and Chris Nunley on vocals. That same year, under the management of Phil Gernhard, they signed to Laurie Records.

The band's first album for Laurie was a collection of garage band covers including "Alley Oop," "Liberty Valance", "Lil Red Riding Hood," and "Battle Of New Orleans". With some leftover studio time on their hands, the group decided to have a little fun and record a bouncy little novelty song written by the songwriting team of Phil Gernhard and Dick Holler called "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron". The song turned out so well that the record company decided to release it as the group's first single. Much to the band's delight, two weeks after its release, a local deejay started playing their silly little ditty. Soon, the band had a local hit on their hands that started to catch on across the U.S. during the Christmas season. By January 1967, the song was a huge hit in the States and crossed the Atlantic to the UK, where it also became a huge hit.

"AFTER THE TURN OF THE CENTURY",
"IN THE CLEAR BLUE SKIES OVER GERMANY",
"CAME A ROAR AND A THUNDER, MEN HAD NEVER HEARD",
"LIKE THE SCREAM AND THE SOUND OF A BIG WAR BIRD"

"TEN, TWENTY, THIRTY, FORTY, FIFTY OR MORE",
"THE BLOODY RED BARON WAS ROLLIN' OUT THE SCORE......."

EVERYONE remembers those words and sings along everytime it's heard on the radio!!

The Royal Guardsmen were touring extensively and performing at all the top venues of the day including Madison Square Gardens. The Guardsmen performed with all the major artists from The Beach Boys to Jefferson Airplane.

Now, the group that put those lyrics on everyone's lips is Flying High again! The Guardsmen are back!! Recently reunited, after 26 years, and touring once again, performing ALL of The Royal Guardsmen's Snoopy and Non-Snoopy tunes including:

"Snoopy vs The Red Baron"
"Baby Let's Wait"
"Return Of The Red Baron"
"Jolly Green Giant"
"Snoopy's Christmas"
"It's Sopwith Camel Time"
"Any Wednesday"
"Snoopy For President"
“I Say Love”
“Airplane Song”

Have The Royal Guardsmen perform at your next event!!