Al Gorgoni
Al Gorgoni | |
---|---|
Born | 1939 (age 84–85) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
Occupation(s) | musician, songwriter, record producer, composer, arranger. |
Instrument | guitar |
Website | gorgoni |
Al Gorgoni (born 1939) is an American guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer, known for his work as a studio musician during the 1960s and 1970s.
Biography
[edit]Growing up in Philadelphia, his family moved to The Bronx where he took up the guitar at age 14.[1]
His first recording sessions took place in 1959, playing on demo recordings with Brill Building songwriters Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, and Phil Spector.[2] Gorgoni eventually moved into proper sessions, appearing on hit singles such as "The Name Game" by Shirley Ellis, "Sherry," "Walk Like A Man" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" by The Four Seasons, "Leader of the Pack" by The Shangri-Las, and "Chapel of Love" by The Dixie Cups.[3] Other hits featuring Gorgoni's playing are "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel, "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison, "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees, "At Seventeen" by Janis Ian, "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies, and "Brand New Key" by Melanie.[4]
Gorgoni worked with many other artists including Joan Baez, Blood Sweat & Tears, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Richard and Mimi Fariña, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Astrud Gilberto, Herbie Mann, Laura Nyro, James Taylor, and B.J. Thomas.[5] This article contains only a partial list of credits.
Discography
[edit]![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2015) |
With Herbie Mann
- Our Mann Flute (Atlantic, 1966)
With Barry Mann
- Lay It All Out (CBS Records, 1971)
- Barry Mann (Casablanca Records, 1980)
With Al Kooper
- White Chocolate (Sony, 2008)
With Kai Winding
- The In Instrumentals (Verve, 1965)
With Simon & Garfunkel
- Sounds of Silence (Columbia Records, 1966)
With Carole Bayer Sager
- Carole Bayer Sager (Elektra Records, 1977)
With Janis Ian
- Janis Ian (Verve, 1967)
- Stars (Columbia Records, 1974)
- Aftertones (Columbia Records, 1975)
- Janis Ian (Columbia Records, 1978)
With B.J Thomas
- Billy Joe Thomas (1972)
- Rock'n'Roll Lullaby (1972)
- Songs (1973)
- Longhorn & London Bridges (1974)
Gorgoni, Martin and Taylor ( Buddah /Legacy, 1972)
References
[edit]- ^ Michael Gray. The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. 2006, ISBN 0-8264-6933-7, p. 268.
- ^ "Al Gorgoni webpage biography". Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
- ^ Gray, p. 268.
- ^ Gorgoni webpage.
- ^ Gray, p. 268.
- 1939 births
- Living people
- American session musicians
- Songwriters from Pennsylvania
- Songwriters from New York (state)
- Record producers from Pennsylvania
- Record producers from New York (state)
- Guitarists from Philadelphia
- American male guitarists
- 20th-century American guitarists
- American rock guitarists
- Guitarists from New York City
- 20th-century American male musicians
- American male songwriters
- American guitarist stubs