- Dino Danelli
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Dino Danelli 
Dino Danelli, April 24th, 2010Background information Born July 23, 1944 Jersey City, New Jersey Origin Jersey City, New Jersey, USA Genres Rock, soul, blue-eyed soul Occupations Musician Instruments Drums, Percussion Years active 1965-present Associated acts The Rascals, Fotomaker, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, New Rascals Dino Danelli (born 23 July 1944, Jersey City, New Jersey) is best known as an original member and the drummer in the rock group, The Rascals. He has been called "one of the great unappreciated rock drummers in history."[1]
A jazz drummer by training, Danelli had played with Lionel Hampton and (by 1961) was playing R&B in New Orleans. He returned to New York in 1962 with a band called Ronnie Speeks & the Elrods. He also worked at times with such legendary performers as Little Willie John.[2] Danelli met Eddie Brigati (a pickup singer on the local R&B circuit), and Felix Cavaliere (a classically trained pianist) in 1963. Later that year, Danelli and Cavaliere traveled to Las Vegas to try their luck with a casino house band. They remained there until early 1964, but then ventured back to New York City.
In late 1964, Danelli teamed with Cavaliere, Brigati and a Canadian-born guitarist named Gene Cornish to form the Rascals. Cavaliere and Danelli traveled to Las Vegas in January 1965 to back up singer Sandu Scott, but returned to NYC in February. That month they debuted with the Rascals at the Choo Choo Club in Garfield, New Jersey.
In addition to playing drums (before Cavaliere and Brigati began composing original music), Danelli and Cavaliere often scouted new repertory that the group could perform. In a 1988 interview, he cited their trips to record stores as yielding such songs as "Mustang Sally" and "Good Lovin'."[3] He was with the Rascals' for seven years (1965–72).
Along with Cornish, Danelli formed the group Bulldog in 1972 and they produced two albums before disbanding in 1975. They both then joined the group Fotomaker in 1978 (initially with ex-Raspberries member Wally Bryson). By 1980, Danelli joined Steven Van Zandt as a member of Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul.[4]
After performing with Cavaliere and Cornish at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert on May 14, 1988, there was a short-lived Rascals reunion tour later that year without Brigati. All four original members came together to perform at their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and then once again on April 24, 2010 for the Kristen Ann Carr Fund dinner at the Tribecka Grill in Greenwich Village, New York City. Danelli has resumed working with Cornish in their group the New Rascals, who were still touring as of 2010.
He is also a visual artist, and has designed album covers for The Rascals and Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul.
References
- ^ Gillespie, Nick (2011-02-25) Roger Stone's Really Secret Past, Reason
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
External links
- The Rascals Appreciation Site
- Dino Danelli
- Interview with Dino Danelli
- Dino Danelli at Ask Music
- www.therascalsarchives.com
Categories:- 1944 births
- American rock drummers
- Living people
- People from Jersey City, New Jersey
- Musicians from New Jersey
- Jersey Shore musicians
- The Rascals members
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