TOMMY TEDESCO
Name: Tommy Tedesco
Born: 3 July 1930
Died: 10 November 1997
Thomas J. Tedesco (July 3, 1930 - November 10, 1997) was an American master
session musician and renowned jazz fusion and bebop guitarist.
Born in Niagara Falls, New York, Tedesco made his way to the U.S. West Coast
where he became one of the most-sought-after studio guitarists between the 1960s
and 1980s. Although Tedesco was primarily a guitar player, he was also qualified
on the mandolin, ukulele, and the sitar as well as 28 other stringed instruments
(though he played all of them in guitar tuning).
He was described by "Guitar Player" magazine as the most recorded guitarist in
history, having played on thousands of recordings. He recorded with most of the
top musicians working in the Los Angeles area including the Beach Boys, Everly
Brothers, The Association, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald,
Frank Zappa, Sam Cooke, Cher, and Nancy and Frank Sinatra.
Tedesco's credits, to name a few, include the themes to television's Bonanza,
The Twilight Zone, Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley's '68
Comeback Special. He also performed for film soundtracks such as The French
Connection, The Godfather, Jaws, The Deer Hunter, Field of Dreams, plus several
Elvis Presley films. He was also the guitarist for the Original Roxy cast of The
Rocky Horror Show.
On his own, 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 titled "Confessions
of a Guitar Player."
Tommy Tedesco died in Northridge, California in 1997, aged 67.
Name: Tommy Tedesco
Born: 3 July 1930
Died: 10 November 1997
Thomas J. Tedesco (July 3, 1930 - November 10, 1997) was an American master
session musician and renowned jazz fusion and bebop guitarist.
Born in Niagara Falls, New York, Tedesco made his way to the U.S. West Coast
where he became one of the most-sought-after studio guitarists between the 1960s
and 1980s. Although Tedesco was primarily a guitar player, he was also qualified
on the mandolin, ukulele, and the sitar as well as 28 other stringed instruments
(though he played all of them in guitar tuning).
He was described by "Guitar Player" magazine as the most recorded guitarist in
history, having played on thousands of recordings. He recorded with most of the
top musicians working in the Los Angeles area including the Beach Boys, Everly
Brothers, The Association, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald,
Frank Zappa, Sam Cooke, Cher, and Nancy and Frank Sinatra.
Tedesco's credits, to name a few, include the themes to television's Bonanza,
The Twilight Zone, Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley's '68
Comeback Special. He also performed for film soundtracks such as The French
Connection, The Godfather, Jaws, The Deer Hunter, Field of Dreams, plus several
Elvis Presley films. He was also the guitarist for the Original Roxy cast of The
Rocky Horror Show.
On his own, 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 titled "Confessions
of a Guitar Player."
Tommy Tedesco died in Northridge, California in 1997, aged 67.