Dave Appell facts for kids

David Appell (March 24, 1922 – November 18, 2014) was an American musician, arranger, and record producer. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dave Appell's Music Journey

Dave Appell (say "AP-el") was a very important person at a record company called Cameo-Parkway Records. He started his music career in the mid-1940s. During World War II, he worked for the United States Navy. He helped arrange music for many big bands, including one led by Jimmie Lunceford.

After the war, he arranged music for other dance orchestras. These included famous groups like Benny Carter's and Earl "Fatha" Hines's bands. For a while, he recorded music with his own group, the Dave Appell Four. They recorded for Decca Records. Later, a producer suggested they change their name to The Applejacks. Dave Appell also became a music publisher in 1955.

Working in TV and Movies

In 1956, Dave Appell appeared in a movie called Don't Knock the Rock. He also worked on TV and radio shows in Philadelphia. He was the music director for the Ernie Kovacs shows.

Later, Dave Appell and The Applejacks played music in Las Vegas. But they missed their hometown of Philadelphia. So, they moved back and started working for Cameo Records. This record label was started by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe.

Becoming a Hitmaker

At Cameo Records, Dave Appell did many jobs. He sang background vocals and played guitar. He also worked as a sound engineer, arranging and producing songs.

The first big hit for Cameo Records was "Butterfly" by Charlie Gracie. Dave Appell's band played on this song, which sold over a million copies in 1957. They also backed Charlie Gracie on his other hits like "Fabulous" and "Ninety-Nine Ways." In 1958, Appell's group helped John Zacherle with his funny song "Dinner With Drac." This song became a Top 10 hit.

The Mexican Hat Rock

In the summer of 1958, Dave Appell had a great idea for a song. He heard a marching band in Philadelphia and thought of a song with a dance beat. He created an instrumental song called "The Mexican Hat Rock." It was a fast version of the old "Mexican Hat Dance." His studio band recorded it.

The song was released under The Applejacks' name. It became a huge dance hit on American Bandstand. It reached number 16 on the music charts. The Applejacks also had another hit that year called "Rocka-Conga."

Leading the Cameo-Parkway Band

Dave Appell became the leader of the main band at Cameo-Parkway Records. This band played for many famous artists. These included Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, The Dovells, Dee Dee Sharp, and The Orlons.

For many of these artists, Dave Appell also arranged and produced their songs. He even helped write some of their biggest hits with Kal Mann. These songs included "Let's Twist Again", "Bristol Stomp", "Mashed Potato Time", and "South Street".

These were the years of the twist and other popular dance crazes. Dave Appell played a very important part in making these dances famous. He left Cameo Records in 1964.

Later Success

In the 1970s, Dave Appell had more success. He produced songs for Tony Orlando and Dawn. These included two number one hits: "Knock Three Times" (1970) and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" (1973). He worked on these songs with Hank Medress.

Dave Appell passed away on November 18, 2014. He left behind his children, Roz and Lynda, and his granddaughter, Sara.