Rascals

The Rascals were formed by three Joey Dee and the Starlighters’
members; Eddie Brigati (vocals, Garfield, New Jersey), Felix Cavaliere
(keyboards/vocals, Flushing, New York), and Gene Cornish
(guitar, Ottawa, Ontario) with Dino Danelli (drums, Jersey City,
New Jersey).They dressed in vintage schoolboy costumes with
knickers, Eton collars and short ties. After seeing them perform at
The Barge, a Long Island club, Sid Bernstein became their manager.
He renamed them The Young Rascals, and convinced Atlantic Records
to sign them.  In 1968, they changed their name back to The Rascals.
 
Their music was influenced by R&B as well as British Invasion sounds
and they were notable among blue eyed soul groups for writing most
of their own material.
 
In 1966 they topped the Hit Parade with “Good Lovin’” and a
year later “Groovin” also peaked at #1, with “A Girl Like You” and
“How Can I Be Sure” also million sellers.  In 1968 “A Beautiful Morning”
earned them another gold record with “People Got
To Be Free” topping the chart.  
 
The group disbanded in 1972. The Rascals were inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.