Richie and other members of the then Billy Joel band have helped me do charity events for kids in the Bronx and in poor communities in Long Island. After that, Billy said to us, Listen, I want you guys to be in the band. We said, Absolutely. Ringo was talking about a tour and he sent out dates. Im like, Are you friggin kidding me? It was unbelievable. Richie Cannata. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'buzzlearn_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-buzzlearn_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'buzzlearn_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',128,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-buzzlearn_com-banner-1-0_1');.banner-1-multi-128{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}Body measurements informations are given below: if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'buzzlearn_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-buzzlearn_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'buzzlearn_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',129,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-buzzlearn_com-large-leaderboard-2-0_1');.large-leaderboard-2-multi-129{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Who is Richie Cannata? We spoke to him about his long journey through the music industry. Mark [Farner] turns around and was like, Wow. He was very impressed. We do Led Zeppelin, Hendrix all covers. Billy loves his covers. In the mid-1990s, Cannata also toured with The Beach Boys. www.richiecannata.com Yes I do. He also added the percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Crystal Taliefero who would become a permanent fixture in his band while Stegmeyer was replaced by Schuyler Deale and Javors was replaced by Joey Hunting on the album and Tommy Byrnes for its accompanying tour. Blah blah blah., Now were in the studio. Theyve both said that this was a difficult period where they werent always seeing eye to eye. However well you play will take you so far. Look, when you have a person that actually knows what they want, its easy. According to our database, Richie Cannata is still alive.. You got the sense that was the case. Remember the movie As Good As It Gets when Helen Hunt is trying to tell Jack Nicholson how much she appreciates him? But the serious moment would have to be February 9th, 1964. In 2006, Carl Fischer joined Joel's band as his trumpeter and trombonist for select songs (most notably for the trumpet solos in the song "Zanzibar"). In a serious way? [Laughs], After River of Dreams, did you sense that Billy was done making new records? From 1991 until 1998, Cannata toured with The Beach Boys, playing saxophone, woodwinds and synthesizers. How bad were your Covid symptoms? Rolling Stone interview series Unknown Legends features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and veteran musicians who have toured and recorded alongside icons for years, if not decades. Democrats, Republicans, Americans, Europeans, every color, were all in this together. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time And then all of a sudden at the end, Roy said, I want it to sound like theres a train in the distance. Joel's touring band as a whole did not begin playing on his records until he recorded the album Turnstiles in 1976. As the musical director, I oversee the rehearsal. I had a photo of myself and Ringo holding one of the boots. Richie's We still do. In closing, I am forever grateful for the friendship to Ron Guidry who was a big brother to me and all the other bat boys in that locker room, and of course, to Richie Cannata. Here are some interesting facts about Richie Cannata: * His Star sign is Pisces and zodiac sign element is Water. The band began with the recording of his first album as a solo artist in 1971; it stabilized around 1975 and underwent several lineup changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ive been so, so blessed with this balancing act that Ive been doing. He founded Glen Coves Cove City Sound Studios, which is a favorite for major headliner names to record their upcoming music. I still like to think that something is going to come out and hell write something. Every night I nailed it, I have to say. Joel wound up bringing in saxophonist Andy Snitzer to sub in for the overseas shows, marking one of the only occasions where Rivera has missed a show since joining the band in 1982 for the Nylon Curtain tour, replacing Richie Cannata. He was the man. Thats when it gets amazing. If you show gratitude when all is said and done, whoever the boss is, whoever the bandleader is, whoever is making the decisions, they will recognize you for that special talent. Being on stage stimulated a desire to perform and seek out the adrenaline of live and studio performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pWtlveR2Os. Hed spent the past eight years juggling his duties in Billy Joels band with his role as Ringo Starrs musical director and multi-instrumentalist, but the Piano Man booked a last-minute U.K. tour the same week he was supposed to tour South America with Ringo. Richie is an established writer, director, and producer. But he wanted me to sing background vocals, whatever it was. What do you need? Someone is like, What happens on the bridge of such and such a song? And Ringo with his arms folded went, Just ask Mark. NY Sports Day is an independent site that covers New York sports since 2004. His first name is Richie and his last name is Cannata. I went and got a bari sax and a mouthpiece and reeds. Anyway, I come along, play the part, I sang all the background parts. You finally found a duo that work well together. My wife goes, Thats our favorite song! Our son is bouncing along to it. [10] But for the 1989 album Storm Front, Joel chose a new producer, Mick Jones (of the band Foreigner), and started to make more significant changes to the band. And then he did the thing where he weighed one hand against the other, moving them up and down. Were entertainers. As a member of "The Billy Joel Band" from 1975-81, he contributed immensely to such landmark albums as "The Stranger", "52nd Street" and "Glass Houses". Today Richie, drummer Liberty Devitto, Russell Jabors and the rest of THE LORDS of 52st will be performing at an arena near you. The Ox. We keep in touch. at CD Baby, Buy Billy Joel's band since 1975 when they first met at Ultrasonic The 1993 River of Dreams tour saw the addition of David Rosenthal, formerly of Rainbow, on keyboards. In 1967, I saw them at the Village Theatre. The musical director, this guy Ben Little, the trombone player, he walks up to me and goes, You blow bari? I go, Sure! Id never touched a baritone sax in my life. I remember seeing Johns bloody glasses on a window sill. I saw them at the New York State Pavilion [in August 1969]. Ill tell any young person that is thinking about it, If youre ready to have your heart broken, lets go. Youre going to hear the words no and not quite all the time. At the time, I was out with Hall and Oates. Richie Cannata is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He had already worked with Aerosmith and it was the sound we wanted to go with. I started taking lessons from my uncle. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. If a sax player doesnt know the solo to that song? They are a great team. Hey, frankly, I would have worn an ass on my face if it meant playing on TV with John Lennon. If he called me up and said, 'Im sorry. there - his accomplishments extend behind the scenes. Gary Brooker looked at me. How did that lead to you going on the tour with them? People say, Whats the trick? I say, Theres no trick. Just call him and hell understand. Im like, Aw shit., My father used to say, Follow the bad road quickly. I did not wait. The following week, they were going to do a bunch of background vocals. Through the glasses, you could see Strawberry Fields. Buy Im a huge fan of the Who. If the Yankees of the 1970s were a rock band than they would definitely be the Beatles. CD [Billy] told Doug that he wanted to move back to New York and find a permanent band he could record and tour with on a regular basis. And Billy and [saxophonist] Richie [Cannata] had already parted ways. Up and down on each side, there must have been ten pairs of boots that matched each leather jacket. | I felt like I fit in. The main thing I remember was how soft-spoken he was. Tons of other shows at the Fillmore like Deep Purple opening up for Creedence Clearwater Revival. Under Review. By May, we were already rehearsing. Richie Cannata) - Single Nicole Raviv Peaches (feat. On Buzzlearn.com, Richie is listed as a successful Musician who was born in the year of 1948. studio to record their first song together, 'New York State How did you wind up on Foreigner 4? Thats how much it means to everyone. March 5, 1948) in NYC, is an acclaimed musician who is also a successful record producer. Ive worked with three duos [Sam and Dave, Simon and Garfunkel, Hall and Oates] and they didnt always get along. Billy Joel will next perform on July 5th at Madison Square Garden. When Richie recorded and performed that solo in 1976 on The "Turnstiles" record . Liberty DeVitto has been prett Continue Reading Footnotes Full NameEmail AddressPlease leave this field empty. My Aunt Iris bought me the album before the show. Richie Cannata) - Single 2021 Attention (feat. As performers, we feed off the energy of the crowd and its not there. [17], On October 23, 2014, Cannata, DeVitto, and Javors (with Stegmeyer, posthumously) were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, primarily for their work with Joel. Swear to God. Id sometimes sit on the side of the stage with [drummer] Carlos Vega because theyd be doing songs without any drums or saxophone. No one has been in Joel's band longer than Mark Rivera. She flipped out. In 1981, he left the band to open "Cove City Sound Studios" in Glen Cove, Long Island New York. You lose track of it. It was Peter Frampton, Jack Bruce, Gary Brooker, Simon Kirke, myself, and Ringo. I dont think Clarence told Ringo until February of 1995. Recording Studios to listen to tracks for Billy's CD 'Turnstiles.'. This guy George Travis, a wonderful guy, used to put the tours together for Ringo and Billy. I know they werent very close offstage. Richie has also been a member of The Beach Boys, playing on several of their recordings, as well as many of their world concert tours. Theres nothing on the track besides Tony Levins bass, Manu [Katch]s drums, a little bit of weird keyboard stuff, and the guitar player [David Rhodes]. Oh, man. If you took their photos and put them in a lineup, people would probably pick the wrong people. Were you a big Billy Joel fan before the audition you had with him? Its so freaky and so incredible. CD It was crazy. My second band, in 1997, was possibly my favorite band that Ive ever been in. Film/Edited by Andrew Reyna Mixed by James Meslin Videos Play all Richie Cannata -. On day one, I always make sure we do three Ringo songs and at least one by each of the guys. Richie's Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Richie first studied classical piano and clarinet before picking up the tenor saxophone. By the late 1970s, the touring and studio lineup of Joel's band stabilized and consisted, mostly, of the following musicians: This was the basic lineup for some of Joel's classic albums of the 1970s and 1980s including Turnstiles, The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, and Songs in the Attic. Here, these artists tell their complete stories, giving an up-close look at life on musics A list. It was unbelievable. As someone that played on it, how do you feel? Publicity Listings Ron Guidry was always a big music fan and a favorite of all the musical celebrities that would visit the clubhouse. He is most notable for playing saxophone in Billy Joel's band alongside Liberty DeVitto, Russell Javors, and Doug Stegmeyer. What is a Mutt? Nobody had heard of him at the time. Bernie Williams Band. Doug said, Hey, are you looking for a gig? I said, Whats up? He said, Billy is looking to replace Richie. I was like, Yeah.. Liberty DeVitto, Russell Javors, and Richie Cannata now perform in the Billy Joel cover band, the Lords Of 52nd Street -- which was the nickname given to them by Billy's producer, the late- Phil . [20], On July 11, 2016, Cannata received special recognition from Glen Cove Mayor for his contributions to the city's music heritage. We double-tracked and triple-tracked. Who is going to play the acoustic part? I was like, Oh, Ill play it. And as were going through the song, somebody couldnt figure out where it went to D minor. I went out and I rented a bari sax that day. ', Home >> Artists A-Z >> Richie Cannata You can be a great player and be a dick. George was like, Just give him a shot.. These guy still play, and this is their facebook page. He was presented with the key to Glen Cove and named the downtown intersection of Bridge, School and Glen Streets as "Richie Cannata Place" for the city's summer music season.[21]. We show up for soundcheck. I think hes being a little hard on it. How did you wind up on the Ringo Starr tour in 1995? On Storm Front and River of Dreams, he used different musicians. Its great! Mutt said, That was his first take, gentleman. That reminds me that your first instinct is usually your best. It must have been fun to work on the throwback sounds for that one. If I could be frank, I said, Who the fuck is Mutt Lange? Why were you guys wearing masks on the stage? The first day, I wanted to go over A Whiter Shade of Pale. Its a beautiful song and I know it would be one of the last ones since I always write the set list. I have bad news. He said, Youre not hurt, are you? I said, No, but I have a commitment I cannot get out of. I saw Led Zeppelin. Although water sport is popular, most of them are quite hard to do, and to be able to do water sport, requires training, and an instructor. March 5, 1948) in NYC, is an acclaimed musician who is also a successful record producer. March 5, 1948) in NYC, is an acclaimed musician who is also a successful record producer. It was a six-piece band. His first name is "Richie" and his last name is . It was every night and it was a joy. Additionally, he became a music producer, producing albums for Phoebe Snow, Rita Coolidge, Corey Hart, and Tommy Shaw. Tell me about working with Sam and Dave. What tips would you give him or her for how to maneuver through that? Continue with Recommended Cookies. Because like me, he likes to help people. I remember asking Cannata at the time, how did he get into the Yankees locker room and he told me, Billy Joel and him were guests of Yankees bat boy Joe DAmbrosio. I do. I went into my locker and got a couple of baseballs and pens, and handed it to them. Official Sites, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. [12] Stegmeyer had played on every one of Joel's albums from Turnstiles (1976) through to the live album, (1987). He alluded to that. I love playing with Daryl and John. How old were you when music entered your life in a serious way? Ill take that to the grave. The real background vocals were myself, Lou Gramm and Ian Lloyd. You. I saw Cream. The touring lineup changed and it took a few years for the lineup to stabilize. And so everything happens for a reason. And when I bent down with the bari sax, which weighed about half my weight, the trumpet player was swinging the trumpet over my head. Goodbye. At the very last moment, he says, Youll still be my musical director, wont you? I was like, There is a God!. He played in school bands and with fellow local musicians, perfecting his trade on the local music scene as a live performer and studio musician. I think they were parked at Madison Square Garden since we had a show the night before or the night after. [2] The Lords of 52nd Street is a band formed by the original band members that previously played with Joel. You came in on the party, party part two measures early. He says, Ill tell you what, mate. The difference from being in Foreigner which Im incredibly grateful for the opportunity; I love the band; I love the music but the moment I joined Billys band, I was part of a band. Which is fine. He also had a road case that was about six feet tall and four feet wide and four feet deep. He does Bruce, Madonna Just an amazing amount of stuff, not unlike our [production manager] Boomer Thrasher. Ill tell you one other story. Having a musical veteran father, Richie Cannata (Billy Joel, NSYNC, The Beach Boys) provided him with some amazing opportunities to be on stage at a very early age. I dont even remember if I got in a cab or took a train. In 2014, Cannata, DeVitto, and Javors reunited and performed a short set of Joel's songs at the ceremony during which they were inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, (with Stegmeyer, posthumously), primarily for their work with Joel. Im a firm believer in that. Appears On See All Long Road to Freedom (feat. I play all the time. We had to go to Radio City Music Hall in the afternoon to rehearse, unbeknownst to Ringo. I said, Thats a D minor.. Cannata joined Joel and the guys for the recording of the multiplatinum album Turnstiles. Noise to oversee part of the publicity and promotion campaign It was a little rough. My wife and I had the virus in March, so Ive been through it. I go, Sweetheart, thats the song I left to record on. She gave me a kiss. The reason Cannata struck such a deep bond? He is most notable for playing saxophone in Billy Joel's band alongside Liberty DeVitto, Russell Javors, and Doug Stegmeyer. 2012 New York State of Mind (Deluxe Edition) 1 7:37 June 6, 2012 1 Song, 8 Minutes 2012 Richie Cannata More by Richie Cannata What You Started (feat. My parents learned I had good pitch. We did another song and Felix didnt know a particular chord. Id never shot craps in my life. Of all the love I have for people in music, when he performs and when he puts it out there and those songs connect with people, we all forget about life for a while. It was nice to see how grateful they were for my gesture and how the first autograph they got was from Ron Guidry. Thats where he lived. We had a 101102 fever for two weeks. Richie's CD at iTunes, Buy The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. It fell off the back of a track [laughs] and my father was able to afford to buy me a saxophone. Richie Cannata (b. What drew you to the saxophone? Liberty DeVitto, Russell Javors, and Richie Cannata now perform in the Billy Joel cover band, the Lords Of 52nd Street -- which was the nickname given to them by Billy's producer, the late- Phil Ramone. I had to call Bruce Grakal, Ringos manager and someone that has been with him forever. Why do you think that is? Tom "T-Bone" Wolk joined the band, just for the River of Dreams tour, playing bass guitar, as well as other instruments, including accordion. You can also read Ray on Newsmax. I brought a keyboard into my room and shedded that for about five hours. I went out to Long Island with my alto. They didnt want me to just start playing it, so Id open up the hope chest and stare at it while my parents were out and put it back in right with all the doilies and stuff. He was fortunate enough to be able to use the best musicians in the New York area including Bernie Williams as a featured guitar soloist, as well as Julio Fernandez, Chris Clark, Joel Rosenblatt, Gene Perez, Don Harris, and Tom Schuman. Marcus, how are you? His specialties are the keyboards, the clarinet, the flute and the saxophone. Just bear with me. He plays [hums the bass part slightly off] and stops. It wasnt even a whole tour, but it wasnt going to happen. Dom Scott & Richie Cannata) - Single Sugarmore Veteran Rising (feat. Be well. I thought that was the end of the conversation. One of the gigs was out in [Roslyn] Long Island at My Fathers Place and [bassist] Doug Stegmeyer was there. I shredded that for five, six hours and went the next day to the rehearsal and got the gig. Find by Genre >> AC >> Richie Cannata We get to rehearsal and, at the time, Felix Cavaliere, who I love dearly, like my dear uncle, he was supposed to be the musical director. My record collection was Hendrix, Cream, R&B, Traffic. Felix, bless his heart, does what he does, and he doesnt do other things. There was a real, real plethora of great music. After leaving the band in 1981, [3] he opened Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York. Yeah. [13], In 2013, the Billy Joel Band was joined by multi-instrumentalist Mike DelGuidice on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, DelGuidice had previously fronted various Billy Joel tribute projects.[14]. I would never really see Billy Joel again after that initial meeting, however I would develop a lifelong relationship with Richie Cannata and send messages back and forth to Guidry on the behalf of Cannata. When The Billy Joel Band's saxophonist thanked the Rock and. Then we get to that song Im Your Captain by Grand Funk Railroad. It was just a groove. Just be like a faint train. Thats what came out. All of a sudden, Sledgehammer comes on. We are fully credentialed by all nine major New York sports teams. I wish there was more I could say. He said, There is nothing more you can say. I was waiting for him to say, Have a good day. At the time Billy Joel was looking for a sax player and Cannata was given a position in the band. Three years later, you played with John Lennon at a tribute show to Sir Lew Grade, which wound up being his last public performance. When you first hear "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel, a few things stick out in your mind; the fantastic songwriting and musicianship, and THAT solo. But it was tough. He would sound like, [deep, indecipherable grumble]. So now Im meeting up with [producer] Daniel Lanois and Im really taken back, but Im trying to be cool. Thats just how things are. He might not have been happy with how it turned out or what happened going forward. The Nylon Curtain was already recorded. Each of us had a face mask in the back and a skullcap. He remains at this position and served as both a musical consultant and band member in the Movin' Out musical. See Jennifer Hudson, John Legend Duet on Bridge Over Troubled Water to Mark 100th Episode. 2023 Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, Contact Us|Accessibility Statement|Privacy Policy|Sitemap, Support The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. The band was looking for a sax player.