Sound Salvage

08/13/2024

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07/03/2022

This guy was incredible! Played on so many hit songs and nobody knew his name. Was paid union scale and artists and producers made millions. Shows just how the music business is.

Today we are remembering guitarist and studio musician Tommy Tedesco on what would’ve been his 92nd birthday. He was part of the loose collective of the Los Angeles area's leading session musicians later popularly known as The Wrecking Crew, who played on thousands of studio recordings in the 1960s and 1970s, including several hundred Top 40 hits.

Tedesco's playing credits include the theme from television's Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Vic Mizzy's theme from Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special. Tedesco was shown on-camera in a number of game and comedy shows, and played ex-con guitarist Tommy Marinucci, a member of Happy Kyne's Mirth-Makers, in the 1977-78 talk-show spoof Fernwood 2 Night and America 2 Night.
Born in Niagara Falls, New York, Tedesco moved to the West Coast where he became one of the most-sought-after studio musicians between the 1960s and 1980s. Although he was primarily a guitar player, he also played mandolin, ukulele, sitar and over twenty other stringed instruments.

Tedesco was described by Guitar Player magazine as the most recorded guitarist in history, having played on thousands of recordings, many of which were top 20 hits. He recorded with most of the top musicians working in the Los Angeles area including the Beach Boys, the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, the Association, Barbra Streisand, Jan and Dean, the 5th Dimension, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Ricky Nelson, Cher, and Nancy and Frank Sinatra as well as on Richard Harris's classic "MacArthur Park". His playing can be found on Jack Nitzsche's "The Lonely Surfer", on Wayne Newton's version of "Danke Schoen", B. Bumble and the Stingers's "Nut Rocker", the Rip Chords' "Hey Little Cobra", the Ronettes' "Be My Baby", the Sandpipers' "Guantanamera", the T-Bones' "No Matter What Shape'" and Nino Tempo & April Stevens' version of "Deep Purple". For Guitar Player, Tedesco wrote a regular column called "Studio Log" in which he would describe a day's work recording a movie, TV show or album, the special challenges each job posed and how he solved them, what instruments he used, and how much money he made on the job.

Tedesco also performed on film soundtracks such as The French Connection, The Godfather, Jaws, The Deer Hunter, Field of Dreams, Gloria plus several Elvis Presley films. He was also the guitarist for the Original Roxy cast of The Rocky Horror Show. Additionally, he performed the opening guitar solo for the Howard Hawks and John Wayne film Rio Lobo. He was one of the very few sidemen credited for work on animated cartoons for The Ant and the Aardvark cartoons (1968–1971).

As a solo artist, Tedesco recorded a number of jazz guitar albums, but his musical career ended in 1992 when he suffered a stroke that resulted in partial paralysis. The following year he published his autobiography, Confessions of a Guitar Player.

Tedesco died of lung cancer in 1997, at the age of 67, in Northridge, California. His son, Denny Tedesco, directed the 2008 documentary film The Wrecking Crew, which features interviews with Tommy and many of his fellow session musicians. The film finally saw theatrical release in 2015.

Source: Wikipedia

Happy heavenly birthday, Mr. Tedesco. Thank you for all the music.

06/28/2022

One of the more unique sounding woodwind players ever.

Today we are remembering the late Chris Wood, born on June 24, 1944. He will always be best known as a founding member of Traffic but his talents as a flute, saxophone and keyboard player, and sometime writer, were also much employed in numerous other settings. They included work with Jimi Hendrix, Free, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, John Martyn and many others. He died, much too early, at just 39, in 1983.

Wood was born in the Birmingham suburb of Quinton, and his early passion for the arts prompted him to teach himself several instruments. He soon got to know other like-minded local musicians in their pre-fame days. They included Christine McVie (née Perfect, born in Lancashire but raised in Birmingham), Stan Webb (later of Chicken Shack, featuring Perfect) and Wood’s subsequent Traffic colleagues, Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi.

Wood was playing in local jazz-blues bands from an early age, notably at the Elbow Room. When Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group to explore the increasingly experimental musical environment of 1967, the pair joined forces with Capaldi and Dave Mason to form Traffic. Chris’ appreciation of folk music immediately became a key ingredient in the band’s unique sonic mix.

We have him to thank, for example, for suggesting Traffic’s bold revisiting of the 17th century song “John Barleycorn,” arranged by Winwood. Several other co-writes, chiefly with Winwood and Capaldi, included “Dear Mr. Fantasy.” This was before the latter pair became the group’s chief writers as a duo. Wood also wrote “Tragic Magic” on 1973’s Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory.

Chris’ appearances with other seminal artists and on classic albums of the late 1960s and early 70s are extensive and impressive. He played flute on “1983… (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)” from the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1968 landmark Electric Ladyland. The following year, he did the same on “Mourning Sad Morning,” on Free’s self-titled second album.

Wood appeared on Chicken Shack’s O.K. Ken? in 1969 and the 1970 live album Ginger Baker’s Air Force. He was on John Martyn’s 1973 set Inside Out, and worked with Shawn Phillips, Reebop Kwaku Baah, Crawler, and others.

He died of pneumonia, after battles with drink, drugs, and depression, on July 12, 1983. But Chris Wood’s gentle, creative impact, on his generation and those that followed, continues to be felt. In early 2017, his huge contribution to contemporary music history was honored with the release of Evening Blue. The limited edition box set came with an accompanying 212-page book.

Source: Paul Sexton on undiscovermusic.com

Photo: David Warner Ellis/Redferns

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mr. Wood. Thank you for the music.

01/24/2022

It has been said that when Jimi Hendrix saw him play he said "The guitar player is better than me".

44 years ago today, we lost Terry Kath, the man who Jimi was talking about. Terry was a founding member of, the guitarist for and a singer and songwriter for Chicago . He died from an accidentally self-inflicted gunshot wound.

There can always be discussion of who is / was the best Rock and Roll guitarist, and in just about every conversation, Terry is mentioned.

If he could come back and play just one song, which song would you like to hear him play?

RIP Terry. You are missed by so many.

01/19/2021

Great album!

The Pretenders first LP, simply titled "Pretenders" was released on this day in 1980. A combination of rock, punk and pop music, this album made the band famous. The album features the singles "Stop Your Sobbing", "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket".

Nick Lowe produced the Pretenders' first single, "Stop Your Sobbing", but decided not to work with them again as he thought the band "wasn't going anywhere". Chris Thomas took over on the subsequent recording sessions.

Pretenders debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart in the week of its release and stayed there for four consecutive weeks. It also made the top 10 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum during 1982 by the RIAA. Pretenders has been named one of the best albums of all time by VH1 ( #52). In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the album number 155 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and, in 1989, ranked it the 20th best album of the 1980s.

Any of you still listen to this album?

Happy 41st Birthday to The Pretenders album "Pretenders"!!!!

01/18/2021

You say these words today and everybody knows them. For many they were first heard 43 years ago today…. The words:

"Aaoooo Werewolves of London."

Warren Zevon released his third Lp "Excitable Boy" on Jan. 18, 1978. Besides the title track, this record included "Werewolves of London" as well as "Lawyers, Guns and Money".

Warren had a pretty good cast of friends who were on the LP with him. They included:

Karla Bonoff – harmony vocals on "Accidentally Like a Martyr"
Jackson Browne – guitar, harmony and backing vocals
Luis Damian – jarana on "Veracruz"
Kenny Edwards – bass on "Veracruz", "Tenderness on the Block" and "Lawyers, Guns and Money"
John McVie - bass on "Werewolves of London"
Mick Fleetwood – drums on "Werewolves of London"
The Gentlemen Boys [The Gentlemen Boys consisted of: Jackson Browne, Jorge Calderón, Kenny Edwards, J. D. Souther and Waddy Wachtel] – backing and harmony vocals
Arthur Gerst – Mexican harp
Bob Glaub – bass on "Roland the Headless Gunner", "Excitable Boy", Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
Jim Horn – recorder on "Veracruz"; saxophone on "Excitable Boy"
Greg Ladanyi – bells on "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
Rick Marotta – drums on "Veracruz" and "Lawyers, Guns and Money"
Jeff Porcaro – drums and percussion on "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
Linda Ronstadt – backing and harmony vocals on "Excitable Boy"
Leland Sklar – bass on "Johnny Strikes Up The Band", "Accidently Like a Martyr"
J.D. Souther – backing and harmony vocals
Manuel Vasquez – requinto on "Veracruz"
Waddy Wachtel – guitar, synthesizer, harmony and backing vocals
Jennifer Warnes – harmony vocals on "Excitable Boy"

Do you remember the first time you sang 'Aaoooooo Werewolves of London"?

Happy 43rd Birthday to "Excitable Boy"!!!!!

Why isn't Warren in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

10/29/2020

One of the good ones.

Peter Green would have had 74 candles on his birthday cake today. Peter was a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, and in the early days, the band was many times referred to as "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac". He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 for his work with the group, Green's songs such as "Albatross", "Black Magic Woman", "Oh Well" and "Man of the World" have been recorded by artists such as Santana, Aerosmith, Status Quo, The Black Crowes, Midge Ure, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Judas Priest and Gary Moore, who recorded Blues for Greeny, a covers album of Green's compositions.

Peter inspired many musicians from different generations. B.B. King has said, "He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats." Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page have both praised his guitar playing.

He was ranked 38th in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". His tone on the Bluesbreakers instrumental "The Supernatural" was rated as one of the 50 greatest of all time by Guitar Player. In June 1996 Green was voted the third-best guitarist of all time in Mojo magazine.

We lost Peter on July 25 of this year. He passed away in his sleep.

There have been at least two definitive styles of Fleetwood Mac over the years, Peter's and the one defined by LP's like "Rumours". Do you have a preference?

Happy Birthday Peter. RIP and thank you for the music.

10/20/2020

Sad day for Americans music

43 years ago today, on October 20, 1977, a Convair CV-240 chartered by Lynyrd Skynyrd ran out of fuel and crashed in Gillsburg, Mississippi, near the end of its flight from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines (Steve's older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray all died as a result of the crash. Twenty others survived.

The pilots attempted an emergency landing on a small airstrip, but the plane crashed in a forest near Gillsburg, Mississippi.

Cassie Gaines was a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd's backup vocal group "The Honkettes". One of the other members of the group, JoJo Billingsley, was not on the plane and was home sick as she had been planning to join the tour in Little Rock, Arkansas, on October 23. Billingsley has said that she had dreamed of the plane crash and begged Allen Collins by telephone not to continue using it.

Do you remember your first thoughts when you heard of the crash?

RIP Cassie, Steve, Ronnie, Dean, Walter and William. They are as free as a bird now...

09/16/2020

Do you remember the first time you heard the long, live version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird"?

Chances are it was on Sept. 13, 1976. It was on that day that the band released their first live album "One More For / From The Road. It was their only live album from the "classic" era of the band (1970–1977) prior to the plane crash that killed lead singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, as well as band members Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines.

The live version of "Free Bird" on this album became a favorite of radio DJ's who wanted to take a break for a smoke or whatever as it was over 13 minutes long.

It has become kind of a standing joke for people to request "Free Bird' from bands playing mainly in the bars, but be honest, when it comes on the radio, how many of you crank it to 11? We think by law you have to in Georgia and Florida.

Happy 44th birthday to Lynyrd Skynyrd's live LP "One More For / From The Road"!!!

07/25/2020

Sad day. One of the absolute best. HD problems but came back and made more great music. A blues master. RIP. You will live on through your music.

The British-American rock band's influential guitarist died peacefully in his sleep, his family says.

05/30/2020

He was always my favorite member of the band!

The Dave Clark Five's guitarist, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Lenny Davidson is celebrating his 76th birthday today.

Davidson, who wrote songs such as 'Catch Us If You Can', 'Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)' and 'At The Scene', had to share songwriting credits with Dave Clark, even though Dave had nothing to do with the writing of the songs. This was what happened with all of the songs the band did, and Dave Clark owned all the copyrights and didn't share them with the songs true writer.

Following the breakup of the band, Davidson became a music teacher in Hertfordshire, UK, and also owned a company that provided repair and maintenance services for church organs.

Happy Birthday Lenny!!

05/16/2020

Great one!

50 years of Live.....

There are many that say that it was the best live rock recording of all time. We are talking about "Live at Leeds" the first live album by The Who. It was the only live album that was released while the group were still actively recording and performing with their best known line-up of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. It was released in the US on May 16, 1970 and in the UK on May 23, 1970.

The LP was recorded at two shows, the first at the University of Leeds and the second in Hull. The Hull show was put together for the express purpose of recording and releasing a live album. The shows were performed on Feb. 14, 1970 at Leeds and on Feb. 15, 1970 at Hull. There were technical problems with the recordings from the Hull gig — the bass guitar had not been recorded on some of the songs which made it all the more necessary for the show from the 14th to be released as the album.

The original cover opened out, gatefold-style, and had a pocket on either side of the interior, with the record in a paper sleeve on one side and 12 facsimiles of various memorabilia on the other, including a photo of the band from the My Generation photoshoot in March 1965, handwritten lyrics to the "Listening to You" chorus from Tommy, the typewritten lyrics to "My Generation", with hand written notes, a receipt for smoke bombs, a rejection letter from EMI, and the early black "Maximum R&B" poster showing Pete Townshend wind-milling his Rickenbacker and a copy of the contract for the Who to play at the Woodstock Festival.

How many of you have the original LP with all the items still inside it?

Happy 50th Birthday to one of the greatest Rock and Roll records ever, "The Who Live At Leeds"!!!