Joe Vitale (musician)
Encyclopedia
Joe Vitale is an American
musician primarily known as a drummer but also a flautist, keyboardist and singer. He has played with many of the top names in music during a career dating back to the 1970s.
band called The Chylds. He eventually enrolled at Kent State University
, and was attending during the May 4, 1970 shootings. His first national break came when Ted Nugent
hired him to play drums in the Amboy Dukes in 1971. That fall Vitale was invited by his former Kent State classmate Joe Walsh
to join Barnstorm
, a new group being formed by Walsh in Colorado. The group recorded two albums together and Vitale and Walsh began a longtime partnership although Barnstorm broke up in 1974.
After the breakup, Vitale was the temporary original drummer for the Michael Stanley
Band (before Tommy Dobeck was hired), and he recorded his first solo album 1974's Roller Coaster Weekend, produced by Ron & Howard Albert
, with guitar solos contributed by Walsh, Rick Derringer
and Phil Keaggy
. He then joined the Stills-Young Band for the Long May You Run
sessions. Later, Vitale would be one of the musicians that Crosby, Stills & Nash record and tour with beginning with the CSN
album and continuing to the present day. He has also co-produced and contributed songs to Crosby, Stills & Nash as well as to solo efforts by Stephen Stills
and Graham Nash
.
Meanwhile, Vitale's longtime partner Walsh became part of the Eagles and Vitale became part of the Eagles' road band on drums and keyboards, appearing on 1980's Eagles Live
. For Vitale's second solo album, Plantation Harbor, produced by Bill Szymczyk
and also recorded in 1980, Don Felder
also appeared along with Walsh on guitars, and Stephen Stills co-wrote a couple of songs. The Walsh/Vitale song "Pretty Maids All in a Row" appears on the Eagles' album Hotel California
. He continued to appear on Walsh solo albums in the early 1990s.
Among other artists with whom Vitale has appeared are Dan Fogelberg
, Peter Frampton
, John Entwistle
, Zakk Wylde
(Book of Shadows
), RAZ albums "Tough Love" & "It's All About Me" and "Older Than Your Parents" (album + DVD) "Greatest Hits & Stuff".
In 2008 Vitale released Speaking In Drums. The album is a collection of 11 songs written and performed by Joe, his wife Susie, and his son Joe Jr. among other guests.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician primarily known as a drummer but also a flautist, keyboardist and singer. He has played with many of the top names in music during a career dating back to the 1970s.
Biography
Vitale started his career with the OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
band called The Chylds. He eventually enrolled at Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
, and was attending during the May 4, 1970 shootings. His first national break came when Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
hired him to play drums in the Amboy Dukes in 1971. That fall Vitale was invited by his former Kent State classmate Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
to join Barnstorm
Barnstorm (group)
Barnstorm was the group created by Joe Walsh after he left the James Gang. The original members of the group were Walsh , Joe Vitale and Kenny Passarelli ; all of the members contributed vocals and songs, although Walsh was the principal singer and songwriter...
, a new group being formed by Walsh in Colorado. The group recorded two albums together and Vitale and Walsh began a longtime partnership although Barnstorm broke up in 1974.
After the breakup, Vitale was the temporary original drummer for the Michael Stanley
Michael Stanley
Michael Stanley is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and disc jockey. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band, his brand of heartland rock was popular in Cleveland and around the American Midwest in the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:Michael Stanley Gee graduated from Rocky...
Band (before Tommy Dobeck was hired), and he recorded his first solo album 1974's Roller Coaster Weekend, produced by Ron & Howard Albert
The Albert Brothers
The Albert Brothers are two recording engineer brothers, Ron Albert and Howard Albert, who are best known for their work on various recordings at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, founded and owned by Mack Emerman...
, with guitar solos contributed by Walsh, Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
and Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
. He then joined the Stills-Young Band for the Long May You Run
Long May You Run
-Side two:-Personnel:* Neil Young – vocals, guitars, piano, harmonica, synthesizer* Stephen Stills – vocals, guitar, piano* Jerry Aiello – organ, piano* George "Chocolate" Perry – bass, backing vocals...
sessions. Later, Vitale would be one of the musicians that Crosby, Stills & Nash record and tour with beginning with the CSN
CSN (album)
CSN is a Crosby, Stills & Nash album released in 1977, the fifth album by the group, and the first without Neil Young since his entry into the band...
album and continuing to the present day. He has also co-produced and contributed songs to Crosby, Stills & Nash as well as to solo efforts by Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
and Graham Nash
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
.
Meanwhile, Vitale's longtime partner Walsh became part of the Eagles and Vitale became part of the Eagles' road band on drums and keyboards, appearing on 1980's Eagles Live
Eagles Live
Eagles Live is the first live album by the American rock band Eagles, a two-LP set released in 1980. The Eagles unofficially disbanded on July 31, 1980 after their concert at Long Beach. However, the band still owed Elektra/Asylum a live record from the tour...
. For Vitale's second solo album, Plantation Harbor, produced by Bill Szymczyk
Bill Szymczyk
Bill Szymczyk is an American music producer and technical engineer best known for working with rock and blues musicians, most notably the Eagles in the 1970s. He produced many top albums and singles of the 1970s, though he retired from the music business by 1990...
and also recorded in 1980, Don Felder
Don Felder
Donald William "Don" Felder is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as lead guitarist for the Eagles from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1994 to 2001.-Early life and influences:...
also appeared along with Walsh on guitars, and Stephen Stills co-wrote a couple of songs. The Walsh/Vitale song "Pretty Maids All in a Row" appears on the Eagles' album Hotel California
Hotel California
Hotel California is the fifth studio album released by the American rock band the Eagles, in late 1976. It is the first Eagles album without founding member Bernie Leadon and the first album with Joe Walsh. It is also the last album featuring original bass player and singer Randy Meisner...
. He continued to appear on Walsh solo albums in the early 1990s.
Among other artists with whom Vitale has appeared are Dan Fogelberg
Dan Fogelberg
Daniel Grayling "Dan" Fogelberg was an American singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, whose music was inspired by sources as diverse as folk, pop, rock, classical, jazz, and bluegrass music...
, Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
, Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
(Book of Shadows
Book of Shadows (album)
Book of Shadows is the first solo album by the heavy metal guitarist Zakk Wylde. The album was first released in 1996, and was reissued by Spitfire in 1999 with the bonus disc containing "Evil Ways" , "The Color Green", and "Peddlers of Death" Book of Shadows is the first solo album by the heavy...
), RAZ albums "Tough Love" & "It's All About Me" and "Older Than Your Parents" (album + DVD) "Greatest Hits & Stuff".
In 2008 Vitale released Speaking In Drums. The album is a collection of 11 songs written and performed by Joe, his wife Susie, and his son Joe Jr. among other guests.
Solo discography
- Roller Coaster Weekend (Atlantic, 1974)
- Plantation Harbor (Asylum, 1980)
- Speaking In Drums (Hit Records, LLC, 2008)