Joseph Renzetti is an American film composer and

session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...

. He scores for films and television, currently active in scoring indie films, he composes works for orchestra, chamber groups, and solo artists.

Career

Born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Renzetti began his career as a result of

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...

and ''

American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...

'', originating from Philly, Cameo-Parkway records came into existence. Renzetti became Cameo Records' house guitarist, and played on the hits " Let's Twist Again", Dee Dee Sharp's "

Mashed Potato Time "Mashed Potato Time" is a 1962 single written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe, and performed by Dee Dee Sharp, with backing vocals by The Orlons, on her debut album ''It's Mashed Potato Time''. The song refers to the Mashed Potato (dance), Mashed Pota ...

", " South Street", " Limbo Rock", " Palisades Park", and "Tallahassee Lassie". Joe Renzetti was

Gamble and Huff Kenneth Gamble (born August 11, 1943, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Leon A. Huff (born April 8, 1942, Camden, New Jersey) are an American songwriting and production duo credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre (also known as ...

's first arranger, one of the originators of "The Sound Of Philadelphia". Fascinated by the advances in recording technology, and the profession of arranging for records Renzetti moved his career to New York. There he arranged " Sunny" by Bobby Hebb, " 98.6" by Keith, " Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" by Jay & the Techniques, and " Mandy" by

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow ( ; born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer with a career that spans over sixty years. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Brandy (Scott ...

. Renzetti moved to Hollywood and was called to arrange the music for the 1978 film '' The Buddy Holly Story,'' which garnered him an Academy Award for Best Adaptation Score.

Filmography

* '' The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978) * '' Elvis'' (1979) * '' Fatso'' (1980) * '' The Exterminator'' (1980) * '' Dead & Buried'' (1981) * '' Under the Rainbow'' (1981) * ''

Vice Squad Vice Squad are an English punk rock band formed in 1979 in Bristol. The band was formed from two other local punk bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. The songwriter and vocalist Beki Bondage (born Rebecca Bond) was a founding member of the b ...

'' (1982) * '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (1986) * '' Poltergeist III'' (1988) * '' Child's Play'' (1988) * ''

Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA" * Lisa, stagename of Japanese singer Lisa Komine (born 1978) * Lisa (South Korean singer) (born 1980) * Lisa (Japanese musician, b ...

'' (1989) * '' Basket Case 2'' (1990) * '' Frankenhooker'' (1990) * '' Basket Case 3: The Progeny'' (1991)

List of selected works

*"Waltz" for Blues-Harmonica and Orchestra *"Echo" for Classical Guitar Quartet *"On a Chord By Kessel" for Classical Guitar Quartet *"Holiday Furioso" Scherzo for Orchestra *"String Quartet in F" - "American" *"First Chair" A Concerto for Orchestra *"The 1912 Overture" for Jazz Piano solo and Orchestra *"Concerto for Three Guitars and Orchestra" *"Blues, for me?"

Partial list of arranged records

*" Sunny" (composer Bobby Hebb's recording) *"Mandy" (Barry Manilow's version of "

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...

") *" 98.6" (Keith) *" Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" (Jay & the Techniques)

Awards

* Academy Award for Best Adaptation Score – '' The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978) * Gold Record for "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb * Gold Record for "Mandy" by Barry Manilow * Nomination for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Musical Score – '' Under the Rainbow'' (1981)

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Renzetti, Joe 1941 births Living people American film score composers American male film score composers American session musicians Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Musicians from Philadelphia Varèse Sarabande Records artists La-La Land Records artists