Joe Renzetti

Joe Renzetti an American Academy Award-winning film composer, and session musician.

Joseph Renzetti was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and studied composing and orchestrating under Nicholas Flagello, NYC, Manhattan School of Music. He studied guitar with Dennis Sandole, Joe Sgro, Sal Benigo, Lenny Payton, and Frank Tacconelli a disciple of the Eddie Lang tradition of guitar playing.

In the early 1960s, as a result of Dick Clark and American Bandstand, 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"", "South Street", The "Limbo Rock", "Palisades Park, and "Tallahassee Lassie".

Fascinated by the advances in recording technology, and the profession of arranging for records, in 1963 Renzetti moved 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.

In 1973 Renzetti moved to Hollywood, and was called to arrange the music for the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story. This iconic movie garnered Joe Renzetti an Academy Award for Best Adaptation Score. Although the music was that of Holly's, Renzetti taught the actors to play their instruments, sing the songs from scratch, and act as a performing group. When they were ready as a group, they were filmed in live performances, this had never been done on film before.

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