Felix Cavaliere
Encyclopedia
Felix Cavaliere is an American
songwriter, singer, music producer, and musician
.
Although he was a member of Joey Dee and His Starlighters best known for their hit "Peppermint Twist", he is best known for his association with The Young Rascals
during the 1960s. The other members of The Rascals were Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli, and Gene Cornish. Cavaliere sang vocals on six of their successful singles. At an early age he joined The Stereos and moved on to form The Escorts, whilst at university. He later produced album
s by other artists
such as Laura Nyro
and Jimmie Spheeris
.
Cavaliere had a solo
hit with "Only A Lonely Heart Sees" (1980), which made #36 in th Billboard Pop 100 chart and #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Cavaliere and former Rascals bandmate Dino Danelli
joined Steve Van Zandt to record Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul's album Men Without Women
(1982). However, Cavaliere strongly disputes this and claims that was never a member of Little Steven's band.
After fifteen years he recorded Dreams in Motion (1994), produced by Don Was
. During 1995 Cavaliere was a touring member of Ringo Starr
's third All-Starr Band. On October 15, 2006 he inducted Vanilla Fudge
into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
. In 2008, he recorded an album with Steve Cropper
"Nudge it Up a Notch", which was released July 29, 2008. He continues to tour as Felix Cavaliere's Rascals and on June 18, 2009 Cavaliere, along with former writing partner Eddie Brigati
, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
. On April 24, 2010, all four members of the Rascals reunited for the Kristen Ann Carr benefit, which was held at New York's Tribeca Grill.
He and his wife currently reside in Nashville, TN.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter, singer, music producer, and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Although he was a member of Joey Dee and His Starlighters best known for their hit "Peppermint Twist", he is best known for his association with The Young Rascals
The Rascals
The Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul group initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the U.S. #1 hits "Good Lovin'" , "Groovin'" , and "People Got to Be Free"...
during the 1960s. The other members of The Rascals were Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli, and Gene Cornish. Cavaliere sang vocals on six of their successful singles. At an early age he joined The Stereos and moved on to form The Escorts, whilst at university. He later produced album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s by other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
such as Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
and Jimmie Spheeris
Jimmie Spheeris
Jimmie Spheeris November 5, 1949 – July 4, 1984) was an American singer-songwriter who released four albums in the 1970s on the Columbia Records and Epic Records labels.He was of Greek descent...
.
Cavaliere had a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
hit with "Only A Lonely Heart Sees" (1980), which made #36 in th Billboard Pop 100 chart and #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Cavaliere and former Rascals bandmate Dino Danelli
Dino Danelli
Dino Danelli is best known as an original member and the drummer in the rock group, The Rascals. He has been called "one of the great unappreciated rock drummers in history."...
joined Steve Van Zandt to record Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul's album Men Without Women
Men Without Women (album)
Men Without Women, credited to Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, was the debut solo album by Steven Van Zandt, a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and a songwriter / producer with the Jersey Shore band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes...
(1982). However, Cavaliere strongly disputes this and claims that was never a member of Little Steven's band.
After fifteen years he recorded Dreams in Motion (1994), produced by Don Was
Don Was
Don Was is an American musician, bassist and record producer.-Life and career:Was was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Oak Park High School in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor but dropped out after the first year...
. During 1995 Cavaliere was a touring member of Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
's third All-Starr Band. On October 15, 2006 he inducted Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
Long Island Music Hall of Fame
The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
. In 2008, he recorded an album with Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
"Nudge it Up a Notch", which was released July 29, 2008. He continues to tour as Felix Cavaliere's Rascals and on June 18, 2009 Cavaliere, along with former writing partner Eddie Brigati
Eddie Brigati
Eddie Brigati is an American singer and songwriter.Most memorably, Brigati shared vocals, and played tambourine, in the pop group The Young Rascals from 1965 to 1970...
, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
. On April 24, 2010, all four members of the Rascals reunited for the Kristen Ann Carr benefit, which was held at New York's Tribeca Grill.
He and his wife currently reside in Nashville, TN.
Discography
Albums- Felix Cavaliere Wounded BirdWounded Bird RecordsWounded Bird Records is a CD only, re-issue record label, that was founded in 1998 in Guilderland, New York. They re-release lesser known albums from both popular and lesser known artists, including Deborah Harry, Chic, David Blue, Marilyn Martin, Gordon Haskell, Jon Anderson, Adrian Belew, Ellen...
(1974) - Destiny Wounded Bird (1974)
- Castles in the Air SonySony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
(1979) - Dreams in Motion MCAMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
(1994) - Nudge it up a Notch StaxStax RecordsStax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
(2008) - Midnight Flyer Stax RecordsStax RecordsStax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
(2010)