Joey Spampinato
Encyclopedia
Joey Spampinato was a founding member and bass player of NRBQ
. He was also one of the band's lead singers and chief songwriters. Before NRBQ he played in several bands, including The Seven of Us, which in 1967 while in Miami, Florida
, met another band, The Merseybeats USA. The bands merged to form NRBQ. On the group's first two albums, NRBQ (Columbia, 1969) and Boppin' the Blues (With Carl Perkins
, Columbia, 1970) Spampinato is credited as "Jody St. Nicholas."
Spampinato lives in Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his wife, Kami Lyle, a singer, songwriter and trumpeter. Spampinato previously was married to country star Skeeter Davis
. Spampinato currently plays in the Spampinato Brothers with his guitarist brother, Johnny Spampinato, who from 1994 to 2004 was a member of NRBQ
. The two also play in the Cape Cod band the Rip-It-Ups. In February 2011, the Spampinato Brothers released a CD, Pie in the Sky, on Revolvo Records.
Spampinato is a widely admired bass player known to get an acoustic, stand-up bass sound out of his instrument. In 1986,Keith Richards
of The Rolling Stones
invited Spampinato to play in the band Richards put together to back up Chuck Berry
for the rock legend's 60th birthday party concert, which was recorded for the 1987 documentary Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll
. Spampinato also played on Richards' first solo album Talk Is Cheap
. In 1991 Spampinato was one of the bass players for Eric Clapton
's 24 Nights
live album (Reprise, 1991).
NRBQ bandmate and co-founder Terry Adams
wrote the song "Spampinato" in celebration of his friend's family name; the song appeared on the band's 1994 album Message for the Mess Age. Spampinato's songs have been covered by Bonnie Raitt
, Shakin' Stevens
and others.
NRBQ
NRBQ is an American rock band founded in 1967. It is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles. Its best known line-up is the 1974–1994 quartet of pianist Terry Adams, bassist Joey Spampinato,...
. He was also one of the band's lead singers and chief songwriters. Before NRBQ he played in several bands, including The Seven of Us, which in 1967 while in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, met another band, The Merseybeats USA. The bands merged to form NRBQ. On the group's first two albums, NRBQ (Columbia, 1969) and Boppin' the Blues (With Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins
Carl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
, Columbia, 1970) Spampinato is credited as "Jody St. Nicholas."
Spampinato lives in Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his wife, Kami Lyle, a singer, songwriter and trumpeter. Spampinato previously was married to country star Skeeter Davis
Skeeter Davis
Mary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo...
. Spampinato currently plays in the Spampinato Brothers with his guitarist brother, Johnny Spampinato, who from 1994 to 2004 was a member of NRBQ
NRBQ
NRBQ is an American rock band founded in 1967. It is known for its live performances, containing a high degree of spontaneity and levity, and blending rock, pop, jazz, blues and Tin Pan Alley styles. Its best known line-up is the 1974–1994 quartet of pianist Terry Adams, bassist Joey Spampinato,...
. The two also play in the Cape Cod band the Rip-It-Ups. In February 2011, the Spampinato Brothers released a CD, Pie in the Sky, on Revolvo Records.
Spampinato is a widely admired bass player known to get an acoustic, stand-up bass sound out of his instrument. In 1986,Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
invited Spampinato to play in the band Richards put together to back up Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
for the rock legend's 60th birthday party concert, which was recorded for the 1987 documentary Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll
Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll
Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is a 1987 documentary film directed by Taylor Hackford that chronicles two 1986 concerts celebrating rock and roll musician Chuck Berry's 60th birthday. A soundtrack album was released in October 1987 on the MCA label....
. Spampinato also played on Richards' first solo album Talk Is Cheap
Talk Is Cheap
Talk Is Cheap is the solo album debut by Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, released in 1988. Recorded and released following a brief creative and personal fallout with Mick Jagger, Talk Is Cheap received glowing reviews upon its release....
. In 1991 Spampinato was one of the bass players for Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's 24 Nights
24 Nights
24 Nights is a live album by Eric Clapton, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England in 1990 and 1991. It was released on October 8, 1991. The album is a "best of" from the 42 concerts Eric Clapton did at the Royal Albert Hall in those two years...
live album (Reprise, 1991).
NRBQ bandmate and co-founder Terry Adams
Terry Adams (musician)
Terry Adams is an American pianist/composer and a founding member of the musical group NRBQ , known for decades of extensive touring, energetic and humorous live shows, and wide-ranging musical repertoire, including rock, blues, country, pop, and jazz...
wrote the song "Spampinato" in celebration of his friend's family name; the song appeared on the band's 1994 album Message for the Mess Age. Spampinato's songs have been covered by Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
, Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
and others.