Nine of their singles charted in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, including the #1s "Good Lovin'" (1966), "Groovin'" (1967), and "People Got to Be Free" (1968); as well as big radio hits like the much-covered "How Can I Be Sure?"

Additionally, four of the band's LPs received gold certifications in the US, including the top 10 albums Groovin' (1967) and Once Upon a Dream (1968).

The group continued into the early 1970s after the departures of Brigati and Cornish, with Cavaliere leading the Rascals in a more album-oriented direction with strong jazz and funk influences.

Cavaliere, in an interview with journalist Don Paulson, spoke about when he first met the younger Brigati: I saw a little kid walk into the place.

[6]Canadian guitarist Gene Cornish left his group, The Unbeatables, for which he acted as frontman, to join the Starliters, in early 1965.

Because there was another group, which included Van Morrison, using the name "Them" in the UK they dropped that name and came up with The Rascals name through the help of TV comedy star Soupy Sales whom they met through manager Billy (Amato) Smith.

[6] Later in May 1965, under the direction of their management Billy (Amato) Smith, they were hired to do a summer engagement at the debut of The Barge, a floating club by Dune Road in Westhampton Beach, New York.

[8] They settled at the club in eastern Long Island[9] and there developed their mixed R&B-soul sound based on Cavaliere's organ and soulful vocals, mostly filled with traditional R&B covers.

[10] Cavaliere's organ pedals (and later, session bassists like Chuck Rainey, in studio recordings) filled the bass parts.

At the Barge club in August 1965, manager Billy (Amato) Smith, who discovered them at the beginning of their music career as the Rascals, introduced the group to Sid Bernstein, an impresario known at the time for helping to promote the British Invasion, bringing famous UK bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to America.

[14][15] The line-up of Brigati on lead vocals, Cavaliere on organ, Cornish on guitar and Danelli on drums was present in the Young Rascals' debut single, the Pam Sawyer/Lori Burton "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore", which was performed in their first television performance on the program Hullabaloo on February 24, 1966.

[citation needed] The band made their UK debut on December 1, 1966, at The Scotch of St. James club in London.

[19] "Groovin'", having its laid-back sound and an Afro-Cuban groove, found some resistance with Atlantic's head Jerry Wexler;[15] "I've Been Lonely Too Long" and the jazz-influenced "A Girl Like You" talked about the advantages of a relationship against loneliness, but the introspective "How Can I Be Sure", with Brigati's lead vocals, expressed the doubts about love, like Cavaliere's conflicting feelings about Bechurri.

Bruce Eder, writing for AllMusic, rates Groovin' as the Rascals' best, noting the record's soulful core and innovative use of jazz and Latin instrumental arrangements.

[21] Groovin' marked the first time that the Young Rascals used outside musicians, bringing some important collaborators like Chuck Rainey, Hubert Laws, and David Brigati to augment their sound.

Particularly, David Brigati also helped his brother's band in arranging vocal harmonies and singing background on many Rascals records.

Brigati's songwriting contributions were diminished on this album, in favor of Cavaliere's solo compositions, as well his vocals, singing lead only on two songs on Freedom Suite.

"A Ray of Hope", "Heaven", "See", and "Carry Me Back" followed and were all modest U.S. hits for the band during late 1968 and 1969; they entered the top 40, but none rose higher than #24.

[2] Their last Rascals album was Search and Nearness (#198 U.S.), which featured Brigati's lead vocals on the Cornish-penned "You Don't Know", a cover of the Box Tops' hit "The Letter", and drummer Danelli's composition "Fortunes".

Cavaliere shifted towards more jazz- and gospel-influenced writing for the Rascals' next two albums, the double disc Peaceful World (U.S. #122) and The Island Of Real (U.S. #180), using Robert Popwell and Buzzy Feiten on bass and guitar respectively, and new singers Annie Sutton and Molly Holt.

After appearing at Atlantic Records 40th anniversary celebration on May 14, 1988, the Rascals reunited with Cavaliere, Cornish, and Danelli for a brief reunion tour in 1988.

[2] The reunion group featured an expanded lineup including Mel Owens (in Brigati's place) on vocals and percussion, Steve Mackey on bass, Ed Mattey on guitar, Dena Iverson and Cindy McCabe on backup vocals, and a horn section from Nashville to beef up the sound.

On April 24, 2010, all four members of The Rascals reunited for the Kristen Ann Carr benefit, which was held at Tribeca Grill in Manhattan; Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Van Zandt joined the band for a closing "Good Lovin'".

[27][28] Near the end of the show's Broadway run, it was announced that Once Upon a Dream would be taken on the road, with performances scheduled in various cities on the East coast of North America for a six-month tour during May–November 2013.

[29] After its national tour, the show was expected to return to Broadway for a second three-week limited-run from December 2013 through January 2014, at the Marquis Theatre, but it was canceled.

"[4] With regards to their upcoming reunion, Cornish said that "Dino [Danelli] is incapable of playing drums anymore [and] is in a long-term facility... Eddie turned us down again.

"[4] Danelli died from coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure on December 15, 2022, at a rehabilitation facility in Manhattan, after a period of declining health.

[38][better source needed] The ceremony was held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, where a brief reunion took place with the founder of The Rascals, Billy (Amato) Smith.