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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDANNY AND THE JUNIORSUSA vocal group formed '55 in Philadelphia: Danny Rapp, lead (b 10 May 1941; suicide 5 April 1983), Joe Terranova (b 30 January 1941), Frank Mattei (b November 1940), Dave White (b September 1940; d 16 March 2019, Las Vegas); a latter-day sideman was saxophonist Lenny Baker, who later co-founded Sha Na Na. They signed with local label as Juvenairs fresh out of high school; White and a friend (John Medora) wrote smash no. 1 'At The Hop' '57-8 (originally 'Do The Bop'); Leon Huff helped produce it. Dick Clark suggested the title change, then played the record, and had the group on his TV show Bandstand late '57; it was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks. Follow-up 'Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay' (top 20 '58) was also written by White (who later made a solo LP on Bell '71 under his real name, David White Tricker). They toured with Alan Freed, and had two more top 40 hits. 'At The Hop' was typical of the period's way of diluting rock'n'roll excitement into harmless dance music. |