Broadcast Pioneers member Frank Maffei
Broadcast Pioneers Luncheon at the Bala Golf Club, Philadelphia
Wednesday, March 21, 2007

The original members of Danny & The Juniors, were Frank Maffei, Danny Rapp, Joe Terranova (Joe Terry) and Dave White. Joe and Frank are both members of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.

They 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, WHAT and WDAS. Frank was born in 1940 and was originally the group's second tenor, now their first.

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 "Do the Bop" which later became "At The Hop."

The song quickly became a monumental hit on five continents reaching #1 on the pop, country and rhythm & 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 and Pony 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 ABC-TV's American Bandstand, which originated out of WFIL-TV, here in Philadelphia. It was 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 & 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.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Bio courtesy of Danny and the Juniors
Photo originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson
© 2008, Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
All Rights Reserved

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com