Joe Long (born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 5, 1941[1] as Joseph LaBracio) is best known as the bass guitarist for The Four Seasons. In the words of Billy Joel, a longtime fan who grew up listening to them on Long Island, "The Four Seasons had wonderful chord progressions, beautiful writing, terrific production, fantastic harmony, records that really spoke to us." [2]
Joe LaBracio (Joe Long) is a classically trained musician and studied with Alfonse Strazza, the principal bassist for the New York Philharmonic. However, a severe hand injury forced Joe to give up the rigors of playing classical bass and switch to the Fender bass-guitar. He then began listening more to rock and roll and became a rock 'n roll player for several local New Jersey bands before joining with his fellow "Jersey Boys", The Four Seasons in 1965 as a replacement for Charles Calello, who temporarily replaced Nick Massi. Joe Long contributed much to the group’s innovative musical style and famous on stage antics.[citation needed] Joe Long continued to record, perform and tour with The Four Seasons through the mid-1970s. After leaving the group, Long formed the rock 'n roll group LaBracio and later the jazz band Jersey Bounce. In a recent interview Long stated that, "I still play an occasional gig. And, I have done a few recording sessions with Tommy (DeVito). For the most part, though, I am retired." [3] Joe has since moved to Las Vegas with his son and his daughter.
Notes
- ^ Interview: Joe Long: His Story
- ^ The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- ^ The Jersey Boys Blog Interview 11/20/07
External links
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