Nino Tempo (born Antonino LoTempio, January 6, 1935) is an American musician, singer, and actor. He was a sought-after session musician, working as a member of the famous session band the Wrecking Crew, also working with Elkie Brooks, and recording with Maynard Ferguson (Live at the Peacock, 1956). Via a Bobby Darin recording session, Tempo made connections with Atlantic Records and contracted with its subsidiary Atco Records. Nino Tempo is known best for his 1963 duet “Deep Purple” on Atco with his sister April Stevens. During 1975, Tempo played saxophone on John Lennon’s album Rock ’n’ Roll, and was a featured soloist on The Kenny Rankin Album (1976). (More from Wikipedia)
Several members of the Wrecking Crew went on to great prominence in the music world. This time the Wikipedia quote is from one of my own contributions: “Also, Nino Tempo with his sister Carol (under her stage name April Stevens) had a U.S. #1 hit song in 1963, ‘Deep Purple’.” The song was originally a big-band hit in the 1930’s and a top seller in sheet music back when this was a more important component of the music industry; the music was written by pianist Peter DeRose in 1933, with lyrics added five years later by Mitchell Parish. The name of the British rock band Deep Purple was suggested by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore because “Deep Purple” was his grandmother’s favorite song; she used to play the song for him frequently on the piano.
(February 2015)
