Joe Terry (Bobby Bank/WireImage)Joe Terry, a founding member of the early rock ‘n’ roll/doo-wop group Danny & the Juniors, died on Monday at the age of 78. Terry’s passing comes just a few weeks after the death of another original member of the group, David White.
Hailing from Philadelphia, Danny & the Juniors are best-known for their 1957 chart-topping single “At the Hop,” which was co-written by White. The band also scored a few other top 40 hits over the next few years, including the White-penned “Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay,” which peaked at #19 in 1958. Danny & the Juniors were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2013.
“It is with great sorrow that we acknowledge the passing of two very deserving members of our Walk of Fame — Joe Terry, who died [Monday] morning, and David White, who died in March,” Philadelphia Music Alliance chairman Alan Rubens said in a statement.
“They were two of the founding members of Danny & the Juniors, who recorded ‘At the Hop,’ one of the most iconic songs ever to come out of Philadelphia.”
Rubens added, “They are true legends and true Philadelphians who were part of making our city’s music heritage as great as it is.”
Terry, who was born Joseph Terranova, originally sang baritone in Danny & the Juniors but took over as lead vocalist after the 1983 death of Danny Rapp from an apparent suicide.
White, who was 79 at the time of his death, also co-wrote many other songs, including the 1964 Lesley Gore hit “You Don’t Own Me.”
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