The Royal Guardsmen are an American rock band best known for their 1966 hit singles "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron", "The Return of The Red Baron", "Snoopy For President", and the Christmas follow-up "Snoopy's Christmas".
History
Originally known as the Posmen, the Ocala, Florida-based sextet adopted their anglophile moniker during the British Invasion, led by The Beatles and other British artists. The group was originally composed of Bill Balough (bass), John Burdett (drums), Chris Nunley (vocals), Tom Richards (guitar), Billy Taylor (organ), and Barry Winslow (lead vocals/guitar). The band was managed by Leonard Stogel.
The Royal Guardsmen's first single, "Baby Let's Wait" did not chart nationally. The group's second offering, "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron", reached #2 in the Billboard Hot 100 and spent one week at #1 in the Record World charts,[1] remained in the bestsellers for 12 weeks, and was certified gold by the RIAA in February 1967.[2]
Since the band did not ask Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz for permission, the Canadian arm of Laurie Records refused to issue the single until the legal problems were ironed out: instead, the band recorded the thinly-disguised "Squeaky vs. the Black Knight",[3] which was released in Canada and became a hit on at least one Canadian station.[4] Eventually, Schulz gave his okay, and "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" was released in Canada.
Snoopy, the Red Baron, and aircraft became recurring themes in their music, though they did have the top 100 singles "Any Wednesday", "I Say Love", and (at #35) "Baby Let's Wait", a re-release of their first single. Still, some members felt typecast as the Snoopy band[5] and the original group split up in 1970, although a band with some replacement players continued for another year.
In 1976, the original members (except for organist Taylor) got back together and played club dates for another three years before disbanding again. Guitarist Richards died later that year at age 30 of a brain tumor. The band (including Taylor, with local guitarist Pat Waddell substituting for Richards) next reunited for a live show on October 2, 2004, at the 50th reunion of their high school marching band, after which the band played a few other shows in 2005.[5] They performed together in 2010; their next live performance after that was 2018.[6]
In December 2006, they released a new Snoopy song, "Snoopy vs. Osama",[7] and in 2011, the single "Alive and Well".[8]
In The Crossfire Band of Ocala, original members Chris Nunley and Bill Balough and replacement member Pat Waddell continued playing together at least into 2021.
