Tommy Tedesco

"The Most Recorded Guitarist in History" was a title conferred upon Tommy Tedesco, and it’s doubtful anyone else could lay claim to it. As a session guitarist, Tedesco’s career stretched from the beginnings of the "California Sound" in the early Sixties until 1992, when he suffered a stroke that limited his use of his right arm.

Tedesco’s astonishing portfolio and reputation were a result of his versatile sight-reading abilities and talent for interpreting – and delivering – whatever a producer or composer wanted, whether it was a TV or movie theme, soundtrack, or pop, rock, jazz, country; in short, anything.

A self-described "hustler," Tedesco came from a poor neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, and made his way into the emerging L.A. session scene by dint of sheer determination and hard work. Never a big shot who hung around with the stars, he nonetheless worked with the biggest names in the business throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s:

Producers and composers Herb Alpert, Phil Spector, and Henry Mancini. Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, Olivia Newton-John, the Fifth Dimension, the Monkees, the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean. Frank Zappa, J.J. Cale, the Mamas and the Papas, Doc Severinson, the Everly Brothers, Sarah Vaughan, the Partridge Family, Al Kooper. And this is a short list!

Tedesco also played on numerous TV and movie soundtracks, from Bonanza and Green Acres to Jaws and The French Connection. He was always willing to play a part "bad" or "good" according to the direction of the producer, and was not limited to guitar; he carried a collection of other instruments to sessions, including mandolin and sitar, and all tuned like a guitar.

He also made many solo albums in which he played mostly what he termed "hip jazz stuff," which was his personal favorite style. He passed away in 1997 at the age of 67.

Excerpt from:
TOMMY TEDESCO:
Confessions of a Guitar Player
Centerstream Books

Tommy Tedesco's autobiography traces his career and includes many studio photos and quotes from world-famous musicians, composers and producers.

Inventory #HL158
Book $24.95 (US)

In his 1993 autobiography, Confessions of a Guitar Player, Tedesco described his standard studio gear. "I don’t think I have used a bass guitar in 20 years but it is still part of the equipment I bring on a call. When I go to work a cartage company delivers three trunks of my musical instruments. That enables me to be ready for any situation. Besides an electric guitar the trunks carry an acoustic guitar, a 12-string guitar, a classical guitar, a banjo, a mandolin, a uke [ukelele], a 6-string bass guitar, a Vinne Bell Danelectro sitar, a mandola, a bouzouki, a balalaika, and a bunch of South American instruments. By bringing all these instruments, I am able to play any style I may be confronted with."

"I do it very Hollywood style. I tune ‘em all like a guitar. If they want a truly authentic player, they will hire that person. But generally they run into problems because a player may not read music or isn’t familiar with studio playing. They may be great players and sound tremendous at the Greek Theater but they may not be as adaptable as is needed in the studios. You have to be able to do exactly what is called for."