Daniel Earl Rapp (May 9, 1941 – April 3, 1983) was an American singer and the frontman for the group
Danny & the Juniors
Danny & the Juniors are an American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania originally consisting of Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova. Formed in 1955, they are most widely recognized for th ...
. The group is best known for their 1958 hit "
At the Hop
"At the Hop" is a 1950s pop song written by Artie Singer, John Medora, and David White and originally released by Danny & the Juniors. The song was released in the fall of 1957 and reached number one on the US charts on January 6, 1958, becomi ...
".
Career
Rapp's musical career began in 1955 with the formation of his group The Juvenairs, which later became known as Danny and the Juniors. Their 1957 song "Do the Bop" came to the attention of
Dick Clark
Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 198 ...
, who suggested they rename it to "At the Hop". After limited initial success with the song, it became a worldwide hit when it was played on ''
American Bandstand
''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
''. The Juniors went on to have two more hits "
Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay
"Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay" is a song written by David White and first recorded by his group, Danny & the Juniors. Released in January 1958 by ABC-Paramount Records as the follow-up to the group's #1 hit "At the Hop", it reached #19 on the ...
" and "Twistin' USA". The Juniors released several more records in the 1960s but were not able to produce any more hits. In the 1970s, they capitalized on a strong 1950s nostalgia movement by touring and rerecording "At The Hop" in 1976.
Danny and the Juniors broke up and regrouped over the years, and split into 2 groups in 1978. One featured Joe Terranova and Frank Maffei, while the other featured Rapp with various backing singers. Both groups performed under the "Danny and the Juniors" name.
Rapp's last performance was in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
, at the Silver Lining Lounge of The Different Pointe restaurant in the Pointe Tapatio Resort in a month-long engagement which was scheduled to end on Saturday, April 2, 1983.
Death
On Saturday, April 2, 1983, Rapp checked into the Yacht Club Motel in
Quartzsite, Arizona
Quartzsite is a town in La Paz County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 census, the population was 2,413.
Interstate 10 runs directly through Quartzsite which is at the intersection of U.S. Route 95 and Arizona State Route 95 with ...
, west of Phoenix. He was seen on Saturday drinking heavily in the Jigsaw, one of the two bars in town. Sometime over the weekend, he bought a .25-caliber automatic from a private individual.
Rapp's body was found in his hotel room on Sunday, April 3, with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the right side of the head.
Personal life
Rapp was married in 1962 and had two sons.
Source- Courier Post, Deptford NJ Original Obituary
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References
External links
Danny and the Juniors Official Website
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News story concerning Rapp suicide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rapp, Danny
1941 births
1983 suicides
American male pop singers
Danny & the Juniors members
Musicians from Philadelphia
Musicians from New Orleans
American people of Irish descent
Suicides by firearm in Arizona
Doo-wop musicians
20th-century American singers
Singers from Pennsylvania
Singers from Louisiana
20th-century American male singers
1983 deaths