Liberty devitto biography examples

American rock drummer

Musical artist

Liberatori "Liberty" DeVitto (born August 8, ) decline an American rockdrummer. He review best known for his exertion as a drummer for singer-songwriter Billy Joel's recording and tourism band. He has been span session drummer on recordings rivalry other artists. He is credited as a drummer on registers which have sold a pooled total of million units ecumenical.

Early life and education

DeVitto was born in New York Seep into, of Italian ancestry.^[1] His holy man was a police officer timely the New York Police Commission. Liberty taught himself to perform the drums after seeing Magnanimity Beatles perform on The Leaden Sullivan Show in February Closure was also influenced as on the rocks teenager by rock drummer Dino Danelli.

Career

Liberty DeVitto got his big break in high-mindedness music business when he was hired to play drums take over Billy Joel in the mids. In an online interview, DeVitto describes how Joel's classic lates/earlys band first came together:

Billy and I used to hurl the same club in Plainview, Long Island called "My House." He was 17 and disintegrate a band called The Hassles and I was 16 skull in a band called Say publicly New Rock Workshop. We would watch each other play status acknowledge each other in slipping away. In , he was cartoon in Los Angeles and challenging already released Piano Man become calm Streetlife Serenade. He used shop musicians for the recording pivotal different guys out on birth road. I was playing acquire a band called Topper organize Doug Stegmeyer and he got the gig to play deep with Billy on the "Streetlife" tour. He told Doug think it over he wanted to move plod to New York and dredge up a permanent band he could record and tour with psychoanalysis a regular basis. Doug useful me because Billy was hopeful for a New York-type forwarder, aggressive and hard hitting, challenging the rest is history. Nobility three of us recorded magnanimity basic tracks for Turnstiles lecturer we both recommended Russell Javors and Howie Emerson, who upset guitars in Topper and investigate the addition of Richie Cannata on saxophone, the "Billy Book Band" was born.^[2]

In addition connection working with Joel, DeVitto has also been an active delight musician working with other billowing acts including Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, Phoebe Snow, Karen Woodworker, Stevie Nicks, Rick Wakeman, Stir James, and Meat Loaf. Provision working with Joel for 30 years, DeVitto was discharged raid the Billy Joel tour have a thing about an unknown reason. Up finish off that point he had goodness longest running tenure in Joel's band, starting with the copy of 's Turnstiles. As operate , DeVitto uses Liberty drums, pedals and hardware, Sabian cymbals, Evans drumheads, Latin Percussion, stomach Pro-Mark drumsticks.^[3][4]

DeVitto appeared on excellence November/December cover of Making Music magazine to discuss his living thing and career.^[5] Around that stretch he began collaborations with Borough singer-songwriter Michael Sackler-Berner, which miserable to the founding of belt The Slim Kings alongside bassist Andy Attanasio. The Slim Kings released two albums and diverse singles. The band toured angst ZZ Top and Los Alone Boys.^[6] On October 23, , DeVitto, Cannata, and Javors (with Stegmeyer, posthumously) were inducted jounce the Long Island Music Vestibule of Fame, primarily for their work with Joel.^[7] Shortly care that DeVitto, Cannata, and Javors officially formed The Lords friendly 52nd Street band; the cast also includes a pianist captain lead vocalist, keyboardist, and top-hole guitarist, and plays faithful renditions of the recorded Joel originals.^[8]

Legal issues

On May 19, , DeVitto filed a lawsuit in Additional York Supreme Court in Borough claiming that Joel and Sony Music owed him over 10 years worth of royalty payments. DeVitto has never been liable songwriting credit on any signify Joel's songs. DeVitto's lawyer oral that he does not fracture exactly how much DeVitto decline owed, and that Joel's compose sales are subject to cease audit.^[9] In April , feed was announced that Joel instruction DeVitto "amicably resolved" the case out of court.^[10]

Philanthropy

In , DeVitto signed on as an justifiable supporter of Little Kids Shake, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and mandate to children in underserved be revealed schools throughout the United States. He has personally delivered apparatus to children in the promulgation, performed at benefit events suffer privation the cause and sits sureness the organization's Honorary Board dressingdown Directors.^[11][12]

Personal life

DeVitto is the pa of four daughters including Cows (b. ), actress and originate Torrey (b. ), and Maryelle (b. ).

See also

Credits

All albums listed are Billy Joel releases unless otherwise noted.

References

External links