Dino Danelli

Dino Danelli
Dino Danelli, April 24, 2010
Background information
Born	(1944-07-23) July 23, 1944 (age 72) Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Genres	Rock, soul, blue-eyed soul
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1965-present
Associated acts	The Rascals, Fotomaker, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, New Rascals Dino Danelli's 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."

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. 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'." 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. Danelli joined the Leslie West Band for a short time along with bassist Busta Cherry Jones, formerly of Gang of Four. Danneli and Cornish 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.