Candi & The Backbeat (initially named Candi) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

pop band fronted by lead vocalist Candita "Candi" Pennella. Band members included Nino (Big Papa) Milazzo (bass and background vocals), Paul (Baldy) Russo (drums and percussion), and Rich Imbrogno (keyboards). The band is best known among U.S. audiences for the

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott Laboritories Media * '' FreeStyle'', ...

classic "Dancing Under a Latin Moon", a major dance hit which also made number 68 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1988. Candi & the Backbeat also recorded a Spanish language version of "Dancing Under a Latin Moon" entitled "Luna Latina tú y yo".

History

Originally an Italian wedding band, Candi released their debut self-titled album ''Candi'' in 1988 on the

I.R.S. Records I.R.S. Records was a major American record label founded by Miles Copeland III and Jay Boberg in 1979. I.R.S. produced some of the most popular bands of the 1980s, and was particularly known for issuing records by college rock, new wave and a ...

label. Their self-titled debut included "Dancing Under a Latin Moon" and "Under Your Spell." The latter was nominated for Single of the Year at the 1990

Juno Awards The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's music industry. The Grammy Awards are the United S ...

. "Under Your Spell" and "Missing You" were both nominated for Best Dance Recording at the same award show. Pennella was also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, losing to

Rita MacNeil Rita MacNeil (May 28, 1944 – April 16, 2013) was a Canadian singer and songwriter from the community of Big Pond, Nova Scotia, Big Pond on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. Her biggest hit, "Flying On Your Own", was a crossover Top 40 hit in ...

."Past Winners Database: 1990 20th Juno Awards"
''The Envelope'' of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

''; URL accessed May 24, 2006. Pennella was nominated for the same award the following year, losing to

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...

."Past Winners Database: 1991 21st Juno Awards"
''The Envelope'' of the ''

''; URL accessed May 24, 2006. The band, renamed Candi & The Backbeat, released the album ''World Keeps on Turning'' in 1990. The title track from the album was nominated for the Best Dance Recording at the 1991 Juno Awards. After promotion of this album, they decided not to continue with the project. Candi ended up marrying her drummer, and currently teaches high school in the Toronto area.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Candi'' (1988) * ''World Keeps on Turning'' (1990)

Singles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Candi and The Backbeat Canadian dance music groups Canadian pop music groups Musical groups established in 1988 Musical groups disestablished in 1991 Musical groups from Toronto North York 1988 establishments in Ontario 1991 disestablishments in Ontario