Dino Danelli dies: Young Rascals drummer, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer turned 78

Dino Danelli, the drummer who formed the backbone of blue-eyed soul hitmakers The Rascals (née The Young Rascals), has died aged 78.

Details of what happened and where/when were scarce. However, band spokesman Joe Russo wrote on Danelli’s Facebook page that the drummer was battling coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure that would have required angioplasty more than a decade ago.

His bandmate, guitarist Gene Cornish, paid tribute to Danelli on Facebook.

“It is sad to announce that Dino Danelli has passed away,” Cornish wrote on social media on Thursday. “He was my brother and the best drummer I’ve ever seen. I’m devastated right now. rest in peace dinosaur; I love you brother.”

Raised in Jersey City, NJ, Danelli began his career as a jazz drummer, playing with Lionel Hampton and spending time in New Orleans. He met future bandmates Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere in 1963, the latter briefly joining Danelli in a Las Vegas casino house band.

By 1965, they were back in New York City and formed the Young Rascals, adding Gene Cornish on guitar to join Cavaliere on keys and Brigati on percussion and vocals. The group scored an instant hit with “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore,” and went on to chart eight Top 20 singles, including the no. 1 hits “Good Lovin’,” “Groovin’,” and “People Got” “free”.

The Young Rascals became the Rascals after three albums and then began to explore conceptual themes on their albums, as was the fashion at the time. They split acrimoniously in the 70s and then reunited in various incarnations.

Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the original members performed “Good Lovin'”, “Groovin'”, “How Can I Be Sure” and “People Got To Be Free” in a touching moment during their induction staged

The Rascals reunited in December 2012 for a public performance titled The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream, a multimedia extravaganza that told the band’s story through archival footage, narration and dramatic film footage. During the successful event, the Rascals broke up and started touring together again in 2013.

Along with the Rascals, Danelli joined Cornish in the 1970s to form the band Bulldog, which produced two albums before breaking up. Danelli also played with Leslie West, Photomaker and then Steven Van Zandt as a member of Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul.

In addition to music, Danelli has designed album covers for The Rascals and Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul.

No information about survivors or memorial plans was initially available.