Danny & The Juniors, individually Frank Maffei, Danny Rapp, Joe Terranova and Dave White, began singing together in the early 1950’s at ages 13 and 14 in Philadelphia where they were fans of the local rhythm and blues radio stations. It was there they heard the first stirrings of a new music soon to become known as Rock ‘n Roll. The Juvenaires, as they were called then, quickly decided to become part of the new movement and began to perform the new songs as well as their own original material at school dances, local clubs and restaurants.
At that time, record companies were engaged in a frenzied search for young people who could perform the new music. It wasn’t very long before they discovered the youths, re-named them Danny & The Juniors and recorded them singing one of their own original songs called At The Hop.
The song quickly became a monumental hit on five continents reaching #1 on the pop, country and rhythm and blues charts. It stands today as the #23 all-time biggest record according to The Billboard Magazine List Of #1 Hits. The Group immediately followed with another hit, Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay, which became an anthem of the era, plus dance classics Twistin’ USA andPony Express. These were the first of a string of eleven charted recordings. Their latest albums are the 1992 MCA’ release Rockin’ With Danny And The Juniors and the 1997 Collectibles release Danny And The Juniors – Classic Golden Greats.
Early in 1958 Dick Clark presented Danny And The Juniors with a gold record for At The Hop on American Bandstand, the first of many awards and accolades they would receive over their career, including Best New Group of 1957 and the prestigious Philadelphia Music Alliance Achievement Award more recently.
With the success of At The Hop, Danny And The Juniors began touring with the other early legends and founders of American Rock In Roll such as: Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Platters in the famous Alan Freed Big Beat Show, as well as appearing at many of the nations top nightclubs, arenas and fairs. To this day they have traveled millions of miles and entertained millions of people in all fifty states, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia.
Danny And The Juniors have made almost fifty American Bandstand appearances and have been on numerous television shows — from the old Patti Page Big Record Show to Nashville Now more recently. They’ve also been featured in three motion pictures and their songs have been in many more. Danny And The Juniors have been covered in many important national publications including Life, Billboard, Cashbox and Teen. The latest of these is a recent USA Today article that points out the broad appeal of Danny And The Juniors and their music across many demographic categories.
Now, in their fifth decade as performers, the group still appears at a multitude of venues including conventions, theatres, clubs, casinos, fairs and festivals. Their wholesome, fun-loving stage show is embellished with comedy, impressions, bright costumes and audience participation — while still preserving the rich history — and is regarded as one of the best in the business.
Danny and the Juniors Charted Records
- At The Hop/Sometimes – 1957 – ABC 9871
- Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay/School Boy Romance – 1958 – ABC 9898
- Dottie/ In The Meantime – 1958 – ABC 9953
- A Thief/Crazy Cave – 1958 – ABC 9953
- Sassy Fran/ I Feel So Lonely – 1958 – ABC 9978
- Do You Love Me/Somehow I Can’t Forget – 1959 – ABC 10004
- Twistin’ USA/A Thousand Miles Away – 1960 – Swan 4060
- O Holy Night/Candy Cane Sugary Plum – 1960 – Swan 4064
- Pony Express/Daydreamer – 1961 – Swan 4068
- Cha Cha Go Go (Chicago Cha Cha)/Mr. Whisper – 1961 – Swan 4072
- Back To The Hop/Charleston Fish – 1961 – Swan 4082
- Twistin’ All Night Long – 1962 – Swan 4092
- Oo-La-La-Limbo/Now And Then – 1962 – Guyden 2076
- Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay (With Terry Gore) (Forevermore Records 1997)
- Stranger On The Shore (Forevermore Records /2000)
- House On Fire (Forever Records 2006)
