Royal Teens

The Royal Teens were a New Jersey rock and roll band formed in 1957, best known for their single "Short Shorts", which was a #3 hit in the U.S. in 1958. The follow-up single, 1959's "Believe me", hit #26.

Member Bob Gaudio later became a member of The Four Seasons. 14 year-old member Al Kooper sometimes appeared with them on the road in 1959, and later founded the group Blood Sweat & Tears. Vocalist Joe Francovilla (aka Joey Villa) joined them in late 1958. He previously sang with The Three Friends who had a minor hit with "Blanche". With several briefly-tenured members of the Royal Teens, he went on to form Joey and the Twisters which released a few minor hits ("Do You Want to Dance," "Bony Maronie") in 1961-1962 and frequently played the Peppermint Lounge in NYC as contemporaries of Joey Dee and the Starlighters.