Guitarist Tony Mottola, who played with Frank Sinatra and on "The Tonight Show" died of complications from double pneumonia and a stroke on August 9th in Denville, New Jersey; Tony was 86 years old. Worth checking out is Readers Digest 6 record set box "Guitar On Velvet" with Tony Mottola from 1977 if you can find it at a used record store. Matt Clark Sanford, MI
Guitarist Tony Mottola dies
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jimac51
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A highlight of Mr. Mottola's career has to be the Johnny Mathis album,ONE FIRE:TWO GUITARS. The other guitarist was Al Caiola. The listening public,even those with some of Tony's albums as leader or the work he did with Enoch Light productions,probably do not know how much of Tony Mottola's work is in thier collection or how much they heard his work on radio or TV. The recent reissuing of the Free Design,Enoch Light's pop vocal group on Project 3,had a cool added extra on CD. The rerelease of the FD's HEAVEN/EARTH contains six tracks from Tony's Project 3 release,WARM,WILD & WONDERFUL. FD vocalized backup duties,including two FD originals that Tony had done backup work on their debut by FD. Tony was a class act. Mac
The remakes of "One" (from "A Chorus Line"), "Sunny" & the Carpenters "We've Only Just Begun" have been playing on Music Choice "Easy Listening" channel. When they played "We've Only Just Begun" it shows the Carpenters "Close To You" cover & not the Tony cover. Some of them show "Album Art Not Available", "CD Out Of Print" or "Import CD Not For Sale". Matt Clark Sanford, MI
W.B.
Member
For some reason, when Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band's "Cherchez La Femme/C'est Si Bon" first came out in '76, I'd thought the first line of the song was "Tony Mottola lives on the road" -- perhaps a prediction of his later touring with Sinatra? Didn't know until years later they were referring to their then-manager, later (ex-)head of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola -- who, from what I read in IMDb, was a cousin of Tony's. I have heard, regardless, that there have been some who've confused the two Mottola's.
But as for Tony and his long, illustrious career -- one album I'd recommend was the one he did of music from the long-forgotten Danger TV series, released in 1951 on M-G-M Records. (If you can find it -- it was issued on 10".) Just him and his guitar, and The Ray Charles Singers (no, not connected with the late Brother Ray) doing simple vocal backup at certain points. One of those times where the phrase "Less Is More" actually applies -- and is an advantage.
It's also interesting that the articles on his obituary noted that his involvement with The Tonight Show ended in 1972 (hint: Johnny Carson moving the program from New York to beautiful downtown Burbank).
But as for Tony and his long, illustrious career -- one album I'd recommend was the one he did of music from the long-forgotten Danger TV series, released in 1951 on M-G-M Records. (If you can find it -- it was issued on 10".) Just him and his guitar, and The Ray Charles Singers (no, not connected with the late Brother Ray) doing simple vocal backup at certain points. One of those times where the phrase "Less Is More" actually applies -- and is an advantage.
It's also interesting that the articles on his obituary noted that his involvement with The Tonight Show ended in 1972 (hint: Johnny Carson moving the program from New York to beautiful downtown Burbank).
thetijuanataxi
Well-Known Member
Some of Tony's best work was during his years with Command Records and Project 3 Records under the direction of Enoch Light. My favorite Tony albums are "Roman Guitar", "Roman Guitar Volume 2", "Command Performances" all on Command. Also, "Superstar Guitar" and "Tony Touch" on Project 3. Tony also did a neat cover of "Tijuana Taxi" on his "Spanish Guitar" album. His virtuoso talent will be missed.
David,
saddened by the passing of Mr. Mottola
David,
saddened by the passing of Mr. Mottola
Captain Bacardi
Well-Known Member
I found an obit from Jazz Times:
Tony Mottola Dies
Tony Mottola, a guitarist who backed Frank Sinatra and was a longtime member of the Tonight Show Orchestra, died Mon., Aug. 11 at Saint Clare's Hospital in Denville, N.J., of complications from double pneumonia and stroke. He was 86.
Born in Kearney, N.J. in 1918, Mottola started playing professionally at 18, touring with the George Hall Orchestra. By the end of the 1940s, the guitarist had recorded with Frank Sinatra, beginning a working relationship with the iconic crooner that would last, on and off, into the 1980s.
In the 1950s Mottola started a career in television that saw him work as musical director for the CBS series Danger and, later, as a member of Skitch Henderson’s orchestra on the The Tonight Show. He worked in that band from 1958 to 1972 and it was during this time that he began releasing records under his own name via producer Enoch Light’s Command label, starting with Mr. Big in 1959. In the mid-’60s Mottola began recording for Project 3, another label run by Light.
Mottola was widely used as a studio musician on sessions in the jazz, pop and easy listening genres. His warm and subtle guitar sound was a good match for vocal accompaniment and Mottola can be heard on tracks cut by Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Perry Como and Johnny Mathis.
Mottola toured with Sinatra in the 1980s and was often featured in duet performances with the singer. He retired from the music business in 1988 but continued to play his guitar at home afterward.
Mottola is survived by his wife, a son, three daughters, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Capt. Bacardi
Tony Mottola Dies
Tony Mottola, a guitarist who backed Frank Sinatra and was a longtime member of the Tonight Show Orchestra, died Mon., Aug. 11 at Saint Clare's Hospital in Denville, N.J., of complications from double pneumonia and stroke. He was 86.
Born in Kearney, N.J. in 1918, Mottola started playing professionally at 18, touring with the George Hall Orchestra. By the end of the 1940s, the guitarist had recorded with Frank Sinatra, beginning a working relationship with the iconic crooner that would last, on and off, into the 1980s.
In the 1950s Mottola started a career in television that saw him work as musical director for the CBS series Danger and, later, as a member of Skitch Henderson’s orchestra on the The Tonight Show. He worked in that band from 1958 to 1972 and it was during this time that he began releasing records under his own name via producer Enoch Light’s Command label, starting with Mr. Big in 1959. In the mid-’60s Mottola began recording for Project 3, another label run by Light.
Mottola was widely used as a studio musician on sessions in the jazz, pop and easy listening genres. His warm and subtle guitar sound was a good match for vocal accompaniment and Mottola can be heard on tracks cut by Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Perry Como and Johnny Mathis.
Mottola toured with Sinatra in the 1980s and was often featured in duet performances with the singer. He retired from the music business in 1988 but continued to play his guitar at home afterward.
Mottola is survived by his wife, a son, three daughters, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Capt. Bacardi
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