TOMMY TEDESCO
Tommy Tedesco (July 3, 1930 – November 10, 1997) was an American master session musician and renowned jazz and bebop guitarist. Tedesco’s credits include the iconic brand-burning accompaniment theme from television’s Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Vic Mizzy’s iconic theme from Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special. (More from Wikipedia)
As was common back then with instrumental bands, the musicians in the Piltdown Men were anonymous. On sax was Scott Gordon, while the guitar and sometimes bass were often handled by Tommy Tedesco. Tedesco has been described by Guitar Player magazine as the most recorded guitarist in history and is part of a beyond-legendary group of session musicians that were behind many of the biggest hits of the 1960’s and 1970’s who became known as the Wrecking Crew. Denny Tedesco, Tommy’s son created a 95-minute documentary on these unsung heroes of rock and roll called The Wrecking Crew that has been shown at several film festivals and received a glowing tribute on National Public Radio, yet still criminally languishes without commercial distribution.
(October 2010)
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There have been so many great guitarists that I have enjoyed hearing over the years, for many different reasons: The old-fashioned blasts of Chuck Berry and Keith Richards, the unexpected dexterity and ear of Bob Dylan and Glen Campbell, the pounding virtuosity of Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman, the nearly unsung anonymity of Tommy Tedesco and Jerry Cole, the steady precision of George Harrison and Tom Petty, the sheer power of Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi, the blues-based thunder of Jack White and Eddie Van Halen, lesser known greats like Nikki Sudden and Chris Spedding, and so many more.
(August 2011)
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The statistics about the Wrecking Crew are staggering, with various members appearing on tens of thousands of recordings. Hal Blaine is believed to be the most recorded drummer in history, while Tommy Tedesco is said to be the most recorded guitarist. And their talents were not limited to records; again from Wikipedia: “Tedesco’s credits include the iconic brand-burning accompaniment theme from television’s Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Vic Mizzy’s iconic theme from Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special.”
(February 2015)
