David Spinozza (born August 8, 1949) is an American guitarist and producer. He worked with former Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor, producing Taylor's album Walking Man.

Career

Spinozza worked with McCartney during sessions for McCartney's Ram album during 1971. When the chance came to work with Lennon two years later, as Yoko Ono prepared her Feeling the Space album and Lennon his Mind Games, Spinozza discovered that Lennon was not aware he had previously worked with McCartney, and was afraid he would be fired if Lennon found out, given their recent feuding in the media. When Lennon did learn of it, his only comment was that McCartney "knows how to pick good people." The same story is related about Hugh McCracken. Spinozza sessioned on Tim Weisberg's 1972 Hurtwood Edge and Cashman & West's 1974 Lifesong. Spinozza contributed to Ono's album A Story, recorded during 1974 (but not released until 1998), served as her bandleader during a residency at Kenny's Castaways, and rehearsed Ono's band to tour her native Japan, but parted ways with her when the tour began. After no communication for several years, Ono contacted Spinozza late in 1980, for his permission to release "It Happened", a track from A Story, as a B-side to "Walking on Thin Ice", her tribute to the recently assassinated John Lennon and the last song they had recorded together. Spinozza gave his permission. The track appeared with a new coda, recorded by Lennon and Ono's band from Double Fantasy. Spinozza appeared on Ringo Starr's 1977 album Ringo the 4th, earning him the distinction of having recorded with three of the four Beatles. Spinozza played acoustic guitar on the song "Honesty" on the 1978 Billy Joel album 52nd Street. In 1978 he released Spinozza on the A&M label, a jazz-oriented album with some vocal tracks. Spinozza played the guitar solo on Dr. John's hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time", played on Paul Simon's albums Paul Simon and There Goes Rhymin' Simon, Don McLean's American Pie, and later made contributions to the soundtracks of the movies Dead Man Walking, Happiness, and Just the Ticket. The first album David produced in its entirety was the folk rock trio Arthur, Hurley & Gottlieb who were signed by Clive Davis during his ten years as president of Columbia Records. Spinozza was a member of the Saturday Night Live band from 1980 to 1982. He also conducted the band in 1980 and 1981. He held the first guitar chair in the Broadway orchestra of Hairspray and, in 2009, reunited with his band from 1973, L'Image, which also includes Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt, Tony Levin and Steve Gadd.

Selected discography

With Alessi Brothers With Peter Allen With David Batteau With Harry Belafonte With George Benson With Stephen Bishop With Laura Branigan With Rusty Bryant With Merry Clayton With Marc Cohn With Judy Collins With Elvis Costello With Jim Croce With Lou Courtney With Patti Dahlstrom With Ron Davies With Richard Davis With John Denver With Deodato With Céline Dion With Craig Doerge With Yvonne Elliman With Faith, Hope and Charity With Art Farmer With Jean-Pierre Ferland With Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway With Roberta Flack With Aretha Franklin With Michael Franks With Richie Havens With Donny Hathaway With Gil Scott-Heron With Johnny Hodges With Jennifer Holliday With Paul Jabara With Garland Jeffreys With Billy Joel With Dr. John With The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra With Margie Joseph With Patricia Kaas With Michael Kenny With Robin Kenyatta With B.B. King With Morgana King With Labelle With Yusef Lateef With Donal Leace With John Lennon With Johnny Lytle With Melissa Manchester With Barry Manilow With Herbie Mann With Arif Mardin With Charlie Mariano With Percy Mayfield With Les McCann With Paul McCartney With Kate & Anna McGarrigle With Don McLean With Van McCoy With Bette Midler With Stephanie Mills With Mark Murphy With David "Fathead" Newman With Yoko Ono With David Pomeranz With Bonnie Raitt With Ray Repp With David Sanborn With Shirley Scott With Gil Scott-Heron With Carly Simon With Lucy Simon With Paul Simon With Bert Sommer With Ringo Starr With Rod Stewart With James Taylor With Kate Taylor With Carla Thomas With The Manhattan Transfer With Frankie Valli With Dionne Warwick With Charles Williams With Paul Williams With Cris Williamson

Notes and references