The Royal Guardsmen, is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, formed in 1966. Originally known as The Posmen, the sextet adopted their anglophile moniker during the British Invasion. The group consisted of Bill Balogh on bass, John Burdett on drums, Chris Nunley on vocals, Tom Richards on guitar, Billy Taylor on organ, and Barry Winslow on lead vocals and guitar. Their first single, "Baby Let's Wait", did not chart nationally, but their second release, "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron", reached number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100 and spent one week at Number 1 in the Record World charts. The song was certified gold by the RIAA in February 1967. Following this success, the band embarked on national tours, sharing billing with acts such as The Beach Boys, Jefferson Airplane, and The Monkees. Their subsequent albums included The Return of the Red Baron (1967), and Snoopy for President (1968) as well as myriad Christmas albums. Despite their early success, some members felt typecast as the "Snoopy band," leading to the original group's split in 1970. The band reunited intermittently over the years, with notable performances in 2004, 2010, and 2018. Guitarist Tom Richards died in 1976 at age 30 from a brain tumor. The Royal Guardsmen released new material in December 2006 with "Snoopy vs. Osama" and in 2011 with "Alive and Well".
