Dino Danelli (Jersey City, New Jersey, 1944) is best known as an original member and the drummer in rock group The Rascals.



Dino Danelli began his career as a teenage jazz drummer (he played with Lionel Hampton's band) but switched to R&B while working in New Orleans, and he returned to New York to accompany such R&B acts as Little Willie John.



Dino Danelli 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.[2] 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, Dino 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), Dino Danelli and Cavaliere often scouted new repertory that the group could perform.



In a 1988 interview, Dino Danelli 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. They both then joined the group Fotomaker in 1978 (initially with ex-Raspberries member Wally Bryson).



By 1980, Dino Danelli joined Steven Van Zandt as a member of Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul.



After performing with Cavaliere and Cornish at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert on May 14, 1988, there was a short-lived Rascals reunion tour later that year without Brigati.



Dino Danelli has resumed working with Cornish in their group the New Rascals, who were still touring as of 2010.



Dino Danelli is also a visual artist, and has designed album covers for The Rascals and Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul.