Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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DEE Joey and the Starlighters

House band at Peppermint Lounge NYC: Joey Dee, vocals (b Joseph Dinicola, 11 June '40, Passaic NJ); Carlton Latimore, keyboards; Willie Davis, drums; Larry Vernieri and David Brigati, vocalists, dancers. As Chubby Checker's "The Twist' left top of chart late '61 Dee's "Peppermint Twist' replaced it: socialites swarmed to the Peppermint to do the dance that anybody could do. Only other top 10 was "Shout Part 1'; hit LP Doin' The Twist At The Peppermint Lounge incl. both. Nine Hop 100 singles '61-3 incl. "Hot Pastrami With Mashed Potatoes', two dance fads for the price of one. Dee made films Hey Let's Twist and Vive Le Twist. The band was a nursery for fledglings: three of four original (Young) Rascals were members (Eddie Brigati was David's brother); the Ronettes were Dee's dancers/vocalists until rescued by Phil Spector; in '66 Jimi Hendrix was there.