Vescovo Al

AL VESCOVO

Guitarist Al Vescovo has died following lingering pulmonary difficulties in Van Nuys, at the age of 75.

Al was widely respected within the community of musicians and is fondly remembered as a willing tutor and mentor to those getting started in his field. He primarily worked as a studio musician an
d his name is found as a contributing guitarist on the backs of dozens of albums by the major entertainers of our time. He contributed to scores of movie and TV soundtracks and also released several albums of his own featuring original compositions.

Al Vescovo was born February 27, 1936 in Memphis, Tennessee. Before he was old enough to learn the word "depression" it was over and the boom of World War II paid off for him in the form of a Gene Autry guitar for his 7th birthday. His fingers were too small to make chords against the frets so he learned to use a short metal bar to slide along the neck. Thus was born what would eventually become his first love in music making: the pedal steel guitar.

It was a different time in America but even in 1949 it was unusual for a youngster of 13 to enter the world of grown men the way Al Vescovo did. His childhood ended as his teen years were beginning. Al became part of a small band playing at various "hamburger and beer" joints around Memphis. Soon he and his adult friends were regulars on a couple of radio stations. After high school he left Memphis to see a bit of the world and landed in Denver. There was plenty of work there for a good-looking young man with talent so he put down some roots. He met and married the lovely Norma Jean Martines. Soon came a daughter they named Frankie, then a son named John.
His career opportunities expanded with a move to Los Angeles in 1962. His precision and professionalism made him a
sought-after studio musician. But when his friend Johnny Burnette offered him a working tour of Europe he couldn't say no. Then came a year's work in Hawaii. His third child, Gina, was born. Another tour... this time with Spike Jones and his novelty band. Then came a three year stint at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas. When the Vegas gig ended Al returned to Los Angeles where he made his home in Van Nuys. He played in numerous musical shows such as, "Fiddler on the Roof", "Hair", and "The Will Rogers Follies". When he wasn't on the road, Vescovo remained a much sought after studio musician. He worked for CBS, NBC, Warner Bros., and Fox; and with many top names including The Beach Boys, Johnny Mathis, Lawrence Welk, Stan Kenton, Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone. Al also played for movie soundtracks and television programs such as the Johnny Carson Show, the Smothers Brothers Show, The Sonny and Cher Show, and appeared on The Unit. He also enjoyed the occasional small acting job that would come his way. He became a member of SAG and was always delighted to go on auditions for small movie roles.

After working as a professional guitarist for more than 65 years, Al's major concern for his profession was the encroachment of electronics and computers replacing musical instruments and jobs in the industry. He saw the fading of opportunities for musicians and feared the loss of high level musicanship that would no doubt follow

Over the past two years, Al suffered medical problems with both his heart and his lungs. Despite this he continued to play music with his friends each Thursday evening at Casey's in Sherman Oaks. But things took a bad turn in late summer and his condition worsened. Last Tuesday, October 11, 2011, while in the company of his three children and his wife of 53 years, Al Vescovo died.

Al is survived by his wife Norma Jean, his daughters Frankie Sims and Gina Piscitello, and his four grandchildren: Parker Sims, Jake Vescovo, Ross Piscitello and Maya Piscitello.

Funeral services are set for 2:30 p.m., Saturday, October 15, 2011, at the Old North Church in Forest Lawn Cemetery Hollywood Hills.