Gene Cornish talks Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Dino Danelli and rockin' with the Rascals

Gene Cornish of the legendary Rascals has a rare distinction in rock 'n' roll history.

He was replaced by Jimi Hendrix.

It happened in Joey Dee and the Starliters, which also featured future Rascals Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, brother of Starliter David Brigati. The three left the band in 1964 to form the Rascals.

“I always said that Joey upgraded,” quipped Cornish, who plays with Cavaliere's Rascals on Thursday, April 6, at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, as well as on Saturday, April 8, at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, and on June 27 at the Ocean City Music Pier.

“I left when Felix and Eddie left to start the Rascals," Cornish added, "and Joey found Jimi Hendrix, who was James at the time.”

Both Hendrix and Cornish would eventually land in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Rascals brought a soulful groove to rock hits like “Good Lovin’,” “Lonely Too Long,” “Groovin’,” “People Got to Be Free” and “How Can I Be Sure.”

“We knew we had something,” said Cornish of his decision to leave the Starliters and form the Rascals. “Felix wanted to put a band together. He knew this drummer Dino Danelli, who he was playing with in Las Vegas previous to his playing with Joey, and he said we need to start our own band and not be sidemen.”

The band enlisted Sid Bernstein as their manager. He promoted the famous Beatles shows at Shea Stadium, and even had the Shea scoreboard announced that “The Rascals are coming” at the show, which Beatles manager Brian Epstein was not too happy about.

Yet, Epstein was intrigued by the band, enough to try to purchase their managerial contact from Bernstein.

“He made a pitch to Sid Bernstein," Cornish said. "He wanted to buy the management contract and Nat Weiss, who was also a part of Sid's organization, was with him at the meeting. (When Brian went to the bathroom), Nat Weiss told Sid Bernstein 'Don’t sell that contact. That band’s going to be huge.' We didn’t even know about it. We were happy where we were.”

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The Rascals, who were founded in Garfield, broke up in 1971, and have had several fits and starts since then. Steven Van Zandt was a champion of the band, and he inducted the group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

In 2013, Van Zandt and wife Maureen Van Zandt led the Rascals to their Broadway reunion, “The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream.” The four original Rascals toured the “Dream” show, but have not subsequently performed together since.

They never will again. Danelli passed away Dec. 15, 2022, in New York City at the age of 78. He had been living in a long-term care facility.

“It still hurts,” Cornish said.

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Cornish of North Bergen is still undergoing physical therapy after a collapse on stage in September of 2018 during a Rascals show at the Alberta Bair Theater in Billings, Mont.

He suffered cardiac arrest.

“I'm doing physical therapy every week,” said Cornish, 78. “I’m healthy and I’m strong, and I’m rocking and rolling.”

Go: The Rascals, 8 p.m. Thursday, April 6, Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood, $55 to $105; bergenpac.org. Also 8 p.m., Saturday, April 8, State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, $49 to $99; my.stnj.org.

North 2 Shore adds show

Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Caillat will play Friday, June 3, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, part of the big North 2 Shore Festival, a three-week music and tech event recently announced by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Tickets, starting at $42, are on sale now via boardwalkhall.com.

Headliners for the fest, which takes place in Newark, Asbury Park and Atlantic City, include Halsey at NJPAC, Bill Burr at Prudential Center, Stephen Colbert and Jim Gaffigan at NJPAC, Alanis Morissette at Prudential Center, Demi Lovato at the Stone Pony Summer Stage, Jay Wheeler at the Tropicana, Brian Fallon at the Stone Pony, Ladies Night Out Comedy Tour at Boardwalk Hall, the Smithereens at the Wonder Bar, Southside Johnny at NJPAC, the B-52s at the Stone Pony Summer Stage and more.

Dates are June 7 to 11 in Atlantic City; June 14 to 18 in Asbury Park; and June 21 to 25 in Newark. Visit northtoshore.com for more info.

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Gene Cornish talks Dino Danelli, Hendrix, Beatles and the Rascals