Joey Dee & The Starlighters--Peppermint Twist (1961)

     On today's date in 1940, Joseph DiNicola better known as Joey Dee was born in Passaic, New Jersey. Along with David Brigati, Larry Vernieri, Carlton Lattimore and Willie Davis, Dee and The Starlighters got a standing gig at the Peppermint Lounge in New York in 1960. This song was based on that venue, and also gave them their only number one song in late 1961.

     The hits kept coming over the next two years (including three top 40's) then dried up. However, the band never stopped touring and still continues to this day (www.joeydee.com). Another interesting note, during the early 60's they had some interesting members of the backing band including three future members of The Young Rascals, Jimmy Jones, who would later drop the moniker and go by his real name of Jimi Hendrix, and a young Joe Pesci.