419. Frank Cappelli
Frank & I were very close as kids. We were on the same Little League baseball team, the Mustangs. But -- more importantly -- we shared a love of music, and his guitar and amazing voice would mesh with my piano doodlings, often with wonderful results.
John-david W. Franklin -- a close friend of Frank's -- reminded me of a time at Jefferson Junior High School when we were putting on one of those talent show type thingies, and there was some sort of technical problem and to keep things moving I ad-libbed the intro to "Hey Jude" and Frank & everyone else fell in as if we had rehearsed it.
There was another time with a tuba player (Doug Anthony?) where we riffed on Dylan's "Everybody Must Get Stoned."
I remember lots of other times with Frank -- just hanging out at each other's houses. He was my best friend.
Then we lost touch for around 20 years.
Out of the blue, in the early 90's, Frank called me up and without any hesitation hired me to orchestrate three or four of his amazing songs ("Brusha Your Teeth," "Pass the Coconuts" "Roberto" and one other I can no longer recall!) for a gig with The Pittsburgh Symphony.
This was one of the most exciting gigs I ever had! Although I was unable to make it to Pittsburgh to hear the concert, Frank sent me a tape. I was so pleased with how it turned out.
Every couple of years, our family would travel cross-country in our Chevy minivan to visit our friends and relatives in Pittsburgh.
The rule was that after two tapes of my own weird musical compilations, the kids got to put in a Frank Cappelli tape!
The whole family would sing-along to Frank's magical songs. The thing about Cappelli that always amazed me was how each song was so absolutely, incorruptibly REAL and SPECIAL and that he was always singing DIRECTLY to the kids.
He didn't need a bullshit filter because there was absolutely never any bs in anything he did.
I think the last time I saw Frank was at the Phipps Conservatory, where he was giving a little concert. He spotted me and the family from the stage and immediately called me out as a big influence on him, etc.
What a special moment. My kids looked at me with some measure of respect in their eyes. That was nice!
We lost touch after the Pittsburgh concert. Facebook came around and we once again renewed our friendshp, with an occasional message or two.
Frank wrote "Roberto." Although heavily edited, you can get a taste of the song in this video.
Rest in Peace, Frank ... knowing how many untold numbers of kids AND adults whose lives you touched with your wonderful songs, your exciting TV show ... your delightful albums (we had 'em all on cassette!) ...
I'm so thankful that I knew you.
-- Lew
John-david W. Franklin -- a close friend of Frank's -- reminded me of a time at Jefferson Junior High School when we were putting on one of those talent show type thingies, and there was some sort of technical problem and to keep things moving I ad-libbed the intro to "Hey Jude" and Frank & everyone else fell in as if we had rehearsed it.
There was another time with a tuba player (Doug Anthony?) where we riffed on Dylan's "Everybody Must Get Stoned."
I remember lots of other times with Frank -- just hanging out at each other's houses. He was my best friend.
Then we lost touch for around 20 years.
Out of the blue, in the early 90's, Frank called me up and without any hesitation hired me to orchestrate three or four of his amazing songs ("Brusha Your Teeth," "Pass the Coconuts" "Roberto" and one other I can no longer recall!) for a gig with The Pittsburgh Symphony.
This was one of the most exciting gigs I ever had! Although I was unable to make it to Pittsburgh to hear the concert, Frank sent me a tape. I was so pleased with how it turned out.
The rule was that after two tapes of my own weird musical compilations, the kids got to put in a Frank Cappelli tape!
The whole family would sing-along to Frank's magical songs. The thing about Cappelli that always amazed me was how each song was so absolutely, incorruptibly REAL and SPECIAL and that he was always singing DIRECTLY to the kids.
He didn't need a bullshit filter because there was absolutely never any bs in anything he did.
I think the last time I saw Frank was at the Phipps Conservatory, where he was giving a little concert. He spotted me and the family from the stage and immediately called me out as a big influence on him, etc.
What a special moment. My kids looked at me with some measure of respect in their eyes. That was nice!
Frank wrote "Roberto." Although heavily edited, you can get a taste of the song in this video.
Rest in Peace, Frank ... knowing how many untold numbers of kids AND adults whose lives you touched with your wonderful songs, your exciting TV show ... your delightful albums (we had 'em all on cassette!) ...
I'm so thankful that I knew you.
-- Lew
Comments
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