The Rascals

“The Rascals, along with the Righteous Brothers, Mitch Ryder, and precious few others, were the pinnacle of ’60s blue-eyed soul. The Rascals‘ talents, however, would have to rate above their rivals, if for nothing else than the simple fact that they, unlike many other blue-eyed soulsters, penned much of their own material. They also proved more adept at changing with the fast-moving times, drawing much of their inspiration from British Invasion bands, psychedelic rock, gospel, and even a bit of jazz and Latin music. They were at their best on classic singles like ‘Good Lovin’,’ ‘How Can I Be Sure,’ ‘Groovin’,’ and ‘People Got to Be Free.’ When they tried to stretch their talents beyond the impositions of the three-minute 45, they couldn’t pull it off, a failure which — along with crucial personnel losses — effectively finished the band as a major force by the 1970s. The roots of the Rascals were in New York-area twist and bar bands. Keyboardist/singer Felix Cavaliere, the guiding force of the group, had played with Joey Dee & the Starliters, where he met Canadian guitarist Gene Cornish and singer Eddie Brigati. Brigati would split the lead vocals with Cavaliere and also write much of the band’s material with him. With the addition of drummer Dino Danelli, they became the Rascals. Over their objections, manager Sid Bernstein (who had promoted the famous Beatles concerts at Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium) dubbed them the Young Rascals, although the ‘Young’ was permanently dropped from the billing in a couple of years. … During the summer of 1968, almost as if to prove they could shake ’em down as hard as any soul revue, the Rascals made number one with one of their best songs, ‘People Got to Be Free.’ An infectious summons to unity and tolerance in the midst of a very turbulent year for American society, it also reflected the Rascals’ own integrationist goals. Not only did they blend white and black in their music; they also, unlike many acts of the time, refused to tour on bills that weren’t integrated as well.  …”
allmusic
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Discogs
YouTube: Good Lovin’, A Girl Like You, Groovin’, I’ve Been Lonely Too Long, A Beautiful Morning, How Can I Be Sure, People Got To Be Free