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a brief history
Born to a show business family,
Dave White toured the country as
a child performing with his parents in a hand-balancing act.
While in high school, Dave formed a group called "The
Juvenaires." After singer/songwriter Johnny Madara
discovered them singing on a street corner, Dave and John
began their collaboration together.
John and Dave wrote a song called “Do The Bop.”
On the advice of Dick Clark, who had just gone national with
American Bandstand, the title and the lyrics were changed
to “At The Hop”…Dave and his renamed group,
“Danny and the Juniors,” recorded it…and by
Christmas of 1957, it has reached the top of the charts.
What
followed “At The Hop’s” enormous success were
years of other hit songs that would be recognized not just
for their meteoric rise in the charts, but also via inclusion
in many feature films and TV shows and through the performances
and recordings of other artists and celebrities. Among the
many mega-hits contributing to more than 200 million in sales
of Madara/White records have been “Rock and Roll Is Here
To Stay” (Danny and The Juniors), “The Fly”
(Chubby Checker), “1-2-3” (Len Barry) and “You
Don’t Own Me” (Lesley Gore). Madara/White songs
have appeared on some of the biggest grossing soundtrack albums
ever in such feature films as “American Graffiti,”
“Grease,” “Dirty Dancing,” “Hairspray,”
“Woodstock”, and “Mr. Holland’s Opus"
and “The First Wives Club."
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John's memories
When I met Dave White
I was 19 years old and he was 16 years old. We hit it
off right away. We used to sing hit songs together,
getting to know each other musically and what we liked. We
were two young boys with fertile minds. Dave was like
a younger brother to me. I think he respected that fact
that I had a hit record out. When I was married, he
would come over to our house, hang out, and have dinner with
us. I remember that Dave always needed shoes. I
figured he was poor, but he never talked about it. After
Danny and the Juniors' success, Dave went on the road for
two years. I opened up a record shop in the black section
of town. I would go out to promote records at local
record hops, which is where Dave and I met up again.
Dave was tired of going on the road and wanted to stay put
for a while. He began coming to my record shop and we
started to write songs together. I had a piano in the
back room. I would bring artists in and Dave and I would
write songs for them. This is where we met Maureen Gray.
There was a group called Carl and the Commanders who was our
house band. They did back-up for Maureen and also played
on many of our other songs.
Dave
and I wrote over 280 songs together. We complimented
each other and respected each others individual talents and
contributions. Although our careers would go in different
directions, Dave and I have continued to keep in touch.
It's impossible to express my deep affection and respect that
I have for Dave. We could never have had the success
we had without each other. I am grateful for that and
proud to call him my friend.
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what happened
next?
In
1967, Dave White joined a local
band called "The Crystal Mansion" and later recorded
a solo album for Bell Records.
In 1992, as an original member of Danny and The Juniors, Dave
was inducted into the Hall of Fame and the Walk of Fame in
his hometown by the Philadelphia Music Alliance.
In 2003 Danny and The Juniors was inducted into the Vocal
Group Hall of Fame. Dave's piano, on which he wrote
some of his hit songs, was donated to the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and Museum located in Cleveland, Ohio.
Dave
continues to work with young artists and is producing an album
with his wife, Sandra, with songs that they have written.
Dave
and John Madara are working on a feature film, "At The
Hop," as well as "At The Hop -- a musical featuring
the songs of Madara/White."
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