Al Caiola Songs

[Semarias Alfna]

Ownedby one of the most legendary session and live guitarists to exist - Al Caiola - this Country Club made it on stage with some of music's greatest performers in Al's more-than-capable hands. Documented with provenance, this twin-pickup hollowbody electric was a weapon of choice all throughout Al's storied career - Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Percy Faith, Frankie Avalon, Paul Anka, Connie Francis, and countless others had their stage and studio performances backed by Mr. Caiola with this very guitar. Al mentions in included letters to the original buyer of the guitar that he recorded theme songs to "Bonanza" and "The Magnificent 7" - pretty astounding stuff!

Originally built by Gretsch to compete with Gibson's L5CES, the 6192 Country Club is one of the premier electric archtops to come out of the 1950s. The 17" body and nearly 3 1/2" depth combined with the long scale yielded a very powerful instrument with great acoustic volume. The original Dearmond Dynasonic single coil pickups provide the unmistakable tone of the 1950s Gretsch sound, with sweet and clear bell-like chime and great note definition.

The wide-band full body Sunburst finish is in excellent shape and has a beautiful vintage luster that complements the patina of the hardware very well. The 3-piece Maple neck sports the famous 'hump block' fingerboard inlays atop a multi-ply bound Rosewood fingerboard. Transition from the old script style logo in 1954, this Country Club features the newly adapted block lettering that became the defacto logo for the company from that point on. An original and fully functioning set of Grover Imperial tuners top of the high-level aesthetic.

A truly iconic mid-century instrument with some incredible provenance and musical history in it, Al Caiola's 1955 Gretsch 6192 Country Club is a fantastic instrument that would make any collection shine.

Under The Influence is an eclectic playlist of songs, bands, and players that currently inspire and influence our music making. Curated by the entire Music Emporium staff, this playlist focuses on the 1st track of an iconic (or personal fave) band's first record.

Al Caiola, a versatile studio guitarist who recorded with Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel and dozens of other acts and had hits on his own with the theme songs from Bonanza and The Magnificent Seven, has died. He was 96.

Caiola worked with fledgling star Barbra Streisand in a Columbia Records session and also played alongside Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Buddy Holly, Sarah Vaughan, Rosemary Clooney, Petula Clark and Glen Campbell. He toured with Sinatra in 1991 and had a decades-long association with Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme.

Caiola came to New York in 1946 after the service and landed a job with the CBS orchestra. He stayed for 10 years and worked on shows hosted by Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason, Arthur Godfrey and Steve Allen.

He left his network job to free-lance and collaborated with the likes of Darin, Anka, Connie Francis, Frankie Avalon, Eddie Fisher and Perry Como and in bands fronted by Percy Faith, Morton Gould and Andre Kostelanetz.

Along with Tony Mottola, the "first call" guitarist in New York City for over thirty years. Both men were prolific studio musicians and the stalwarts of countless "Percussion" albums: Mottola's for Command, Caiola's for Time. Caiola served in the Marines during World War Two, where he played alongside Bob Crosby and toured much of the Pacific Theater, until the bandmembers were assigned to active combat in the assault on Iwo Jima. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to study music composition and theory at the New Jersey College of Music.Not long after graduating, Caiola was hired as a staff musician by CBS radio in New York City, and he has spent much of the subsequent fifty years working in recording and broadcasting studios up and down Manhattan. The list of artists Caiola worked with is so long and so star-studded that it becomes a bit mind-numbing. It's safe to say that he worked with just about every other New York musician in these pages, as well as pop artists from Tony Bennett to Andy Williams, and most of the mainstream singers in between.Among his better known collaborations with a singer is the 1958 Columbia album, Open Fire, Two Guitars, on which he and Mottola, both playing acoustical guitars, accompanied Johnny Mathis on an exceptionally warm and beautiful set of ballads.Cailoa recorded under his own name on a variety of labels: singles on RCA in the early 1950s, small jazz groups on Savoy in the mid-1950s, but he's best known for his very long string of LPs--mostly covers of then-current hits--on United Artists in the 1960s. His covers of the theme songs from "Bonanza" and "The Magnificent Seven" were top 40 hits in 1960-1. Like the Ventures, though, Caiola's own original tunes were often far more interesting to listen to. At the same time he was recording under his own name for United Artists, Caiola was arranging and leading the Living Guitars for producer Ethel Gabriel's series of Living groups (Strings, Voices, Marimbas, etc.) on RCA's budget label, Camden. A quick glance at the discography below suggests that like fellow session maniacs Dick Hyman and Phil Kraus, Caiola never left the studio between 1961 and around 1972. Beginning in the 1980s, Caiola cut back on his schedule and began to take a few touring jobs. In 1985, he was the lead guitarist in the band that accompanied Frank Sinatra on his tour of Europe, and he regularly appears with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in their nightclub and concert performances.Caiola's best album is undoubtedly Sounds for Spies and Private Eyes, which features a stellar Caiola original, "Underwater Swim," that rates as one of the all-time best spy music tunes and has been included on Capitol's Ultra Lounge series of compilation CDs. Most of the other UA albums are worth a listen, and The Power of Brass, which teams Caiola with a Miami-based brass ensemble of the same name, is a terrific example of genuine "now sounds" music.For more information on Al Caiola and how to arrange for him to play on your next world tour, check out --> RecordingsDeep in a Dream, Savoy MG-12033Serenade in Blue, Savoy MG 12057Music for Space Squirrels, Atco 33-117High Strung, RCA Victor LPM-2031 (mono)The Guitar Style of Al Caiola, RCA CAS-710 (probably a reissue of the above)Roman Guitar, Roulette R42008Salute Italia, Roulette SR-25108 Percussion and Guitars, Time S/2000Percussion Espanol, Time S/2006Gershwin and Guitars, Time S/2010Italian Guitars, Time S/2023Percussion Espanol, Time S/2026Soft Guitars, Time S/2052Guitars Woodwinds & Bongos, United Artists WWS8503Guitars, Guitars, Guitars, United Artists UAS 6077Theme from "The Magnificent Seven" and Other Favorites, United Artists UAS 6133Golden Hits Instrumentals, United Artists UAS 6142Hit Instrumentals from TV Western Themes, United Artists UAS 6161Solid Gold Guitar, United Artists UAS 6180Midnight in Moscow, United Artists UAS 6200Midnight Dance Party, United Artists UAS 6228Golden Guitar, United Artists UAS 6240City Guy Plays Country, United Artists UAS 6255with Ralph Marterie, Acapulco 1922 & The Lonely Bull, United Artists UAS 6256Paradise Village, United Artists UAS 6263Ciao, United Artists UAS 6276Greasy Kid Stuff, United Artists 6287Cleopatra & Jazz, United Artists UAS 629950 Fabulous Guitar Favorites, United Artists UAS 633050 Fabulous Italian Favorites, United Artists UAS 6354On the Trail, United Artists UAS 6362Tuff Guitar, United Artists 6389King Guitar, United Artists MS 189 (radio station promo release for "King Guitar Month," whenever and whatever that was. Not thesame as the commercial release of the same title. A sampler of his UA catalog.)Guitar for Lovers, United Artists UAS 6403Solid Gold Guitar Goes Hawaiian, United Artists UAS 6418Tuff Guitar English Style, United Artists UAS 6434Sounds for Spies and Private Eyes, United Artists UAS 6435Tuff Guitar Tijuana Style, United Artists UAS 6473Caiola Romantico, United Artists UAS 6527All Strung Out, United Artists UAS 6553The Return of the Seven, United Artists UAS 6560King Guitar, United Artists UAS 6586Sound of Christmas (with Riz Ortolani), United Artists UAS 6617It Must Be Him, United Artists UAS 6637The Power of Brass, United Artists UAS 6666Let the Sunshine In, United Artists UAS 6712Warm and Mellow, United Artists 21003Theme from The Magnificent Seven Ride, Avalanche AV-LA058-FBonanza Guitars, Avco Embassy AVE 33019Al Caiola and Don Arnone, Great Pickin', Chancellor CHLS-5008Italian Street Songs, Golden Circle PO2001CDLovers' Guitars, Mad Bag Productions R-BS 101 (TV marketed two-record set)Music from The Godfather, RCA Camden CAS-2569Al Caiola Plays Superstar, Two Worlds TW-9101The Master's Touch, Tree Top TTSLP 4001Los Mejores Exitos, Carib Musicana CCD-2084 (CD)Al Caiola.--> S p a c e A g e P o p M u s i c

Home Listener's Guide The Songs Who's Who Liner Notes Selected Tracks What's New Search

American indie rock performer Caiola is well-known and is from Philadelphia. Caiola has had a long and illustrious career and is well-known in the rock music community for their distinctive sound and aesthetic. Their music is distinguished by unfiltered, deeply felt vocals and complex guitar riffs that meld perfectly with a hard-driving rhythm section.

By demonstrating the strength of indie rock and its capacity to elicit catharsis and the expression of raw emotion, Caiola's music serves as a monument to its influence. They frequently discuss love, sorrow, and personal growth in their songs, which resonates with listeners who are drawn to the candor and vulnerability of their lyrics. The distinctive, timeless nature of Caiola's music sets them apart from other indie rock artists, and their capacity to write captivating, intensely personal songs has brought them a devoted fan base both within the country and outside.

Caiola is a skilled musician who has had a big impact on the indie rock movement overall. Their distinctive sound and style have contributed to the development of the genre into what it is today, and their work is a testament to the ability of rock music to engage listeners on a profound, emotional level. Caiola is a must-listen artist for fans of indie rock whose music is certain to make an impression.

3a8082e126