Richie Zito | |
---|---|
Birth name | Richard Zito |
Born | Brooklyn, New York | August 21, 1952
Origin | Los Angeles, California |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
|
Instrument(s) | |
Years active | 1970s–present |
Website | richiezito |
Richie Zito (born August 21, 1952) is an American songwriter, composer and record producer from Los Angeles. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Zito has experienced success as a prolific session musician, being featured on a wide array of other artists' recordings, including work with Joe Cocker, White Lion, Poison, Mr. Big, Neil Sedaka, Yvonne Elliman, Charlie Sexton, Eric Carmen, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Marc Tanner, Elton John, Cher, The Motels, as well as The Cult, Eddie Money, Heart, Juliet Simms, Bad English and Prism.
In addition to this, Zito has produced 38 singles that have been featured in the charts. He was named Billboard's Producer of the Year in 1990.[ citation needed ] Zito also co-composed the score for the 1986 Japanese anime film Project A-ko with Joey Carbone. Zito's production style was retrospectively described as "panoramic and cosmic" by Doug Stone of AllMusic regarding his work with Cheap Trick on their 1988 album Lap of Luxury . [1]
Zito was born in Brooklyn, New York, but moved to California for better opportunities in his music career. In 1973, he recorded and toured with Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Brothers. Later that year, Zito formed a band with Rick James, releasing the single "My Mama", a big hit in Europe. In 1974, Zito began working with Neil Sedaka, who had signed with Elton John's Rocket Records. Zito recorded, toured and made numerous TV appearances with Sedaka during the biggest comeback of the decade. The 1970s continued with Zito becoming one of the most in-demand session guitarists in Los Angeles, playing on songs such as Blondie's Call Me . [2] [3]
In 1980, Zito joined Elton John's backing band, playing on the albums 21 at 33 , The Fox, and Jump Up! . He also toured extensively with John, highlighted by performing with him in front of 450,000 People at a Concert in Central Park. Zito then began working closely with producer Giorgio Moroder, playing on some of the most successful movie soundtracks of the era. Zito worked extensively on the soundtrack for Scarface, which saw him play all the guitars, besides arranging and co-writing a number of the songs. He also played guitar on songs for other artists' albums including Berlin's Take My Breath Away , Irene Cara's Flashdance... What a Feeling , and Glenn Frey's The Heat Is On during this period. [4]
Year | Artist | Album |
---|---|---|
1983 | Toni Basil | Toni Basil |
1985 | The Motels | Shock |
1986 | Animotion | Strange Behavior |
1986 | Joe Cocker | Cocker |
1986 | Eddie Money | Can't Hold Back |
1988 | Cheap Trick | Lap of Luxury |
1989 | Bad English | Bad English |
1990 | Cheap Trick | Busted |
1990 | Heart | Brigade |
1991 | Tyketto | Don't Come Easy |
1991 | White Lion | Mane Attraction |
1991 | Cher | Love Hurts |
1991 | The Cult | Ceremony |
1993 | Poison | Native Tongue |
1994 | Richie Kotzen | Mother Head's Family Reunion |
1999 | Ratt | Ratt |
2001 | Mr. Big | Actual Size |
Buffalo Springfield was a rock band formed in Los Angeles by Canadian musicians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin and American musicians Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely known for the song "For What It's Worth", released three albums and several singles from 1966 to 1968. Their music combined elements of folk music and country music with British Invasion and psychedelic rock influences. Like contemporary band the Byrds, they were key to the early development of folk rock. The band took their name from a steamroller parked outside their house.
Los Lobos is an American rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños. The band rose to international stardom in 1987, when their version of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba" peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and several other countries. Songs by Los Lobos have been recorded by Elvis Costello, Waylon Jennings, Frankie Yankovic, and Robert Plant. In 2015, they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2018, they were inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. They are also known for performing the theme song for Handy Manny.
Paul Melvyn Carrack is an English singer, musician, songwriter and composer who has recorded as both a solo artist and as a member of several popular bands. The BBC dubbed Carrack "The Man with the Golden Voice", while Record Collector remarked: "If vocal talent equalled financial success, Paul Carrack would be a bigger name than legends such as Phil Collins or Elton John."
Neil Sedaka is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard "Howie" Greenfield and Phil Cody.
Leon Russell was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and roll, country, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, southern rock, blues rock, folk, surf and the Tulsa sound. His recordings earned six gold records and he received two Grammy Awards from seven nominations. In 2011, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The Motels are an American new wave band from Berkeley, California, that is best known for the singles "Only the Lonely" and "Suddenly Last Summer", each of which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, in 1982 and 1983, respectively. In 1980, The Motels song "Total Control" reached No. 7 on the Australian chart, and their song "Danger" reached No. 15 on the French chart.
Blues Saraceno is an American rock guitarist, composer and music producer, currently residing in Los Angeles, California. He was discovered by Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine at the age of 16, which assisted him in releasing instrumental recordings on an independent basis.
Paul John Buckmaster was a British cellist, arranger, conductor and composer, with a career spanning five decades.
21 at 33 is the fourteenth studio album by English musician Elton John and his 21st album in total, made when John was 33 years old, hence the title.
David Garza is a Grammy winning Los Angeles based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and visual artist.
James Ronald Horn is an American saxophonist, woodwind player, and session musician.
"Ball & Chain" is a song by English musician Elton John with lyrics by Gary Osborne. It is the third track on his 1982 album Jump Up! and was released as a single in the United States in September that year. It features Pete Townshend of The Who on acoustic guitar. Osborne added some French words into the song.
Michael Kevin Farrell is an American keyboardist, musical director, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work both recording and touring with Alanis Morissette, Morrissey and Macy Gray.
Cellophane was an alternative metal/rock band from California. They released a single eponymous album in 1997.
James Hutchinson (born January 24, 1953)is an American session bassist best known for his work with Bonnie Raitt.Though his work takes him nearly everywhere he primarily resides in Studio City, Los Angeles, CA and Haiku-Pauwela, Hawaii.
Michele Luppi is an Italian musician, producer, and vocal coach.
John Edward Beland is an American songwriter, session guitarist, recording artist, producer and author. Beland's career as guitarist started out in Los Angeles in the late 1960s, playing sessions and local live gigs with Kris Kristofferson, as well as future Eagles members, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon. Beland's first major break came in 1970, when he played lead guitar for a young Linda Ronstadt. He helped Ronstadt put together her first serious solo band, Swampwater. Along with bandmates Gib Guilbeau, Thad Maxwell and Stan Pratt, Swampwater toured the country with Ronstadt, appearing with her on many notable television shows including The Johnny Cash Show. Swampwater recorded two landmark country-rock albums for Starday-King and RCA Records. The group was one of the first Los Angeles bands to record in Nashville, known for their smooth harmonies and Cajun rock style.
The 1980 World Tour was a concert tour by English musician and composer Elton John, in support of his 14th studio album 21 at 33. the tour included two legs and a total of 63 shows.
Kim Bullard is an American keyboardist, songwriter, record producer, and film composer. He has been making music since the 1970s and has performed extensively as a keyboard player with musical acts such as Elton John and Crosby, Stills, & Nash.