Broadcast Pioneers member Bonnie Nadley Silvestri

Bonnie Nadley Silvestri was born in Philadelphia and raised in the West Oak Lane and Northeast sections of the city. Bonnie danced on the American Bandstand TV Show in 1961. She says: "The great memories of dancing on the show will stay with me forever."

As a teenager, Bonnie won many dance contests, including a jitterbug contest at a Hy Lit Record Hop in Philadelphia. Bonnie is currently the secretary of the American Bandstand Fan Club which has been in existence since 1960.

Bonnie taught Special Education for thirty years. She worked with teenagers and children who had various disabilities. Starting in 2000, and until she retired in 2008, she worked with children who were deaf or had a profound hearing loss. Her career was very challenging, yet very rewarding to her. She would often teach the students how to dance, and they loved it!

She still loves to dance to the oldies, and Bonnie is a regular dancer on the "Berks Community Television's Dance Party" TV Show in Reading, PA. She has been interviewed by many radio and Internet stations where she discussed her experiences while dancing on American Bandstand and being a teenager in the 1960's. Bonnie was also interviewed by the very popular Jordan Rich for his "Jordan Rich Show" from CBS Boston on WBZ NewsRadio 1030. The interview was aired on January 8, 2011.

Bonnie had the honor of being interviewed by Mike McCann, Premiere Radio Networks, in New York on June 9, 2011. To celebrate the 54th anniversary of American Bandstand on August 5, 2011, soundbites from that interview were sent to the stations that subscribe to Premiere's HOT WAX DAILY. Among them: WCBS-FM New York, WMXJ Miami, KLUV Dallas, Cruisin' 950 Denver, AM 580 Detroit, and WDRC-FM Hartford.

Bonnie was formerly the Social Networking Director for HyLit Radio Technologies Inc. which is run by Broadcast Pioneers member Sam Lit and was founded by Broadcast Pioneers member Hy Lit. Bonnie is well known to others by her popular nickname, "Bandstand Bonnie" and in September of 2010, she became the first Associate Member of this organization immediately after the new category was approved.

Bonnie is presently the administrator of the popular singing group, The Dovells, group Page on Facebook, and she is also the President of The Dovells Fan Club. She has been made their "Official Bristol Stomper" since she loves to do the Bristol Stomp. Whenever possible, Bonnie joins The Dovells on stage to show how it's "really done!"

On January 13, 2012, Bonnie was interviewed on the "Colin Lively Show" from NYC. It's an Internet radio program, and she talked about growing up in the sixties, dancing on "American Bandstand" & her current dance gig on BCTV's "Dance Party."

Bonnie was a guest on The Vincent Pastore / Dennis Nardone radio show "What's Goin' On" on Monday, April 9th 2012. The show was on WVOX 1460 AM Radio in New York, and it broadcast on the Internet. Vincent Pastore is best known for his role in the TV series, "The Sopranos." Bonnie talked about being the President of the Dovells Fan Club, and when she danced on American Bandstand in 1961.

Bonnie was contacted on April 18, 2012 , by Karen Araiza, Managing Editor for NBC10 Philadelphia, a few hours after the passing of Dick Clark. Karen interviewed Bonnie, and the name of the news article is "Bandstand Bonnie Remembers Dick Clark."

Bonnie and her husband, Joe, reside in Delaware County. They are the proud parents of two sons and four grandchildren.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Photo and bio originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Bonnie Nadley Silvestri
© 2012, Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
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