An unsung hero of early rock & roll, Mike Pedicin played an edgy brand of R&B-flavored dance music and was among the very first white musicians doing that kind of crossover music to be signed by RCA Victor. Born in 1917 in West Philadelphia, Pedicin started playing alto saxophone when he was ten years old, and in his teens he formed a swing combo who played frequently at local nightspots. As Pedicin's group added a danceable R&B influence to their music, they were signed to RCA Victor in early 1955 as the label's answer to Bill Haley & His Comets, but while their music was strong, Pedicin enjoyed little chart success, and by the 1960s he was performing almost exclusively in Pennsylvania, where he entertained audiences for decades.