Who I'd like to meet: The following is Quoted from Richard Bennett :
On the 17th of September my buddy Al Casey died. He was my mentor, best
friend and the reason that I'm in the business.
We stayed very close
through all the years and I spent a week with him in Phoenix last February
while we recorded what turned out to be his last album. Everyone should
have a mentor in their life and I am the luckiest guy in the world to have
been under Al Casey's wing for the last 40 years.
I spent most of the 60's in Phoenix and took guitar lessons with Forrest Skaggs who's star student 15 years earlier was Al Casey. When I met Al in the mid-60's he was already a first call session man in Los Angeles having
played on so many hits for Phil Spector, The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra,
Ella Fitzgerald, Glen Campbell, The Mills Bros. and hundreds more. I was
only 14 years old then and it was like meeting a titan. He was very kind
to me and I still have a snap shot of us sitting in the back of Skaggs'
store with a couple of guitars while Al pushed and pulled my fingers
around. It was during those moments while the picture was taken that in my
ignorance and arrogance, I made up my mind to be a studio musician.
On graduating high school I move to Los Angeles and went to work in Al's
music store in Hollywood. He took me around to record dates, introduced me
to everyone who came by the store, showed me the ropes, furthered my guitar
education, taught me how to keep a date book, bought me a million lunches
and was like a big brother to me. I did my very first record date in
Hollywood in 1968 sitting next to him. From there I had many years in the
L.A. studios then moved to Nashville 21 years ago where I continue to have
a studio career as well as having recorded and toured with Neil Diamond
from 1971 to 1987 and for the past 12 years recording and touring with
Mark Knopfler. I would have had NONE of it without Al Casey.
His impact on the active Phoenix recording scene of the 1950's was
monumental. There was scarcely a record made in Phoenix in those days that
didn't have Al Casey on it, including the first national hit to be recorded
there in 1955, Sanford Clark's "The Fool". The following link goes into depth
about his early years in Phoenix and his influence on the recording scene
there, as well as some great photos, newspaper articles, discography and
links:
After many years in Los Angeles, Al returned to Phoenix in the 80's where
he raised the quality of any gig he played and began a long running
teaching career at Ziggie's Music. He recorded several solo albums during these years that I 'm very proud to have worked on, and saw the re-release of much of his earlier solo work on CD.
Al Casey played great rock, country, standards, jazz, Hawaiian steel and
was one of the finest rhythm guitar players in the business. He was also
my best buddy and I'm going to miss him like crazy, miss him ringing me up
with a story or joke he'd just heard, miss going to Phoenix and the two of
us dashing off to some Mexican restaurant for green chili then back to his
place for a few drinks and a little guitar playing. I'm going to miss the
easy musician talk and calling him up after a particularly lousy day in the
studio when the music business isn't all fun and games. I'm going to miss him.
I'll be flying solo now, but my wings are strong because I learned from
the very best, Al Casey. See ya pal, I love you.
I had the pleasure to have worked a few dates with Al in the 70's. He was a great guy and an ace guitarist. One of the best.... It's a sad loss but his playing still survives on all those great records he worked on. RIP AL.. JB www.johnbeland.com
Thankful Birds (your favorite indie/jazz/blues/can't-make-up-their-minds band) are making sweet music this Friday at Hollywood Alley. It's a great bill with Haymarket Squares, Green Lady Killers and the Sugar Thieves.
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