Rascals Set to Reunite for Second Time in 40 Years

All four members of the Rascals, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band behind the hit singles "Good Lovin' " and "People Got to Be Free," will reunite for only the second time in 40 years this Saturday, April 24th, at the Kristen Ann Carr benefit at New York's Tribeca Grill. The event honors E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt and his wife, Maureen. Van Zandt inducted the Rascals into the Rock Hall when the band — guitarist Gene Cornish, singer Eddie Brigati, drummer Dino Danelli and keyboardist Felix Cavaliere — received the honor in 1997. The induction ceremony marked the first time all four members reunited since the Rascals split in 1970.

"I speak on behalf of the band when I say all the money offers in the world could not entice the Rascals to reunite," guitarist Cornish said, "but four phone calls from Stevie and without hesitation we enthusiastically and immediately agreed to both support this wonderful cause and honor Stevie and Maureen." The Kristen Ann Carr Fund was founded in 1993 by Bruce Springsteen's co-manager Barbara Carr and her husband Dave Marsh to honor their daughter, Kristen, who passed away at the age of 21 from sarcoma.

Van Zandt had been trying for 30 years to reunite the Rascals. (Ironically, it was Van Zandt's humorous speech at the Rascals' Rock Hall induction that inspired The Sopranos creator David Chase to cast the guitarist as Silvio Dante on the HBO show.) "We first met around 1980 to discuss reuniting the band and have tried every five years or so. Maureen suggested we give it one more shot and sure enough it took Kristen's amazing spirit to finally get it done," Van Zandt said in a statement. "Rehearsals have been incredible and of course my hope is they can stay together and finally show the world why they are one of rock & roll history's greatest bands."

For more info on the benefit concert and to donate to the fund, visit the Kristen Ann Carr site.

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