CAPE MAY – On Wednesday, Aug. 16, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals will perform their legendary hits in the Cape May Summer Concert Series. The show will be held at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave. in Cape May, beginning at 8 p.m.
A classically trained pianist, Felix Cavaliere loved the sound of the Hammond organ and admired the music of Ray Charles, Sam Cook and Marvin Gaye. He left Syracuse University to form a band known as the Escorts, becoming a backup musician for Sandy Scott and Joe Dee and the Starliters. In 1965, Cavaliere formed the “Young Rascals” with Dino Danelli, Eddie Brigati and Gene Cornish. By February of 1966, they were signed to Atlantic Records and released the smash hit “Good Lovin’,” which reached Number 1 on the pop chart and was ultimately included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll” and Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
The next two years saw a series of Top 20 hits for the Young Rascals, including “You Better Run,” which was covered by Pat Benatar in 1980, “(I’ve Been) Lonely Too Long,” “Groovin’,” which hit Number 1 in both the United States and Canada, “How Can I Be Sure” and “It’s Wonderful.” The group then changed its name from the “Young Rascals” to “The Rascals” and continued to release hits, including “A Beautiful Morning,” which reached Number 3, and “People Got To Be Free,” which reached Number 1 in the United States and Canada.
In all, Felix Cavaliere and The Rascals recorded ten Top 20 singles and six Top 20 albums. The group has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the song “Groovin’” holds a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Felix Cavaliere has earned a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, and Hammond Organ Hall of Fame. Since The Rascals disbanded in 1972, Felix Cavaliere has continued to write, record and perform, releasing a number of successful albums, including Castles in the Air, featuring the Top 40 single “Only a Heart Sees,” and the Grammy-nominated Nudge It Up a Notch, a collaboration with renowned guitarist Steve Cropper.
Tickets for this and all other summer concerts are $42 for reserved seats and can be purchased in person at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave. or online at DiscoverCapeMayNJ.com. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/capemaycity and follow us on Twitter @capemaycity. For more information, call (609) 884-9563 or (609) 884-9565.