Tommy West (producer)
| Tommy West | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Thomas Picardo |
| Born | August 17, 1942 |
| Origin | American |
| Genres | Popular music |
| Occupation(s) | Producer, singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | keyboards, piano, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1968–present |
Tommy West (born Thomas Picardo on August 17, 1942 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American record producer and singer-songwriter.
West's career as a performing artist began in 1958 when he co-founded the doo-wop group the Criterions with Tim Hauser, a classmate of his at St. Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey. In 1959, the group hit the pop charts with "I Remain Truly Yours."
West is a 1963 graduate of Villanova University. While attending Villanova, he became student conductor of the school's glee club, The Villanova Singers. West formed a sub-group of the Singers called The Villanova Spires, a 12-man group who performed folk songs with guitar accompaniment. Tim Hauser, also now a student at Villanova, joined the group. In 1961, West auditioned fellow student Jim Croce for The Spires and an enduring friendship was formed.
After graduating in 1963, West became a radio announcer and music director of WRLB-FM in Long Branch, New Jersey. In 1966, he left the station and began work for ABC Records in New York, where he met Terry Cashman and Gene Pistilli, songwriters at the company. This trio, Cashman, Pistilli and West, began a writing and performing collaboration. In 1967, they recorded an album titled Bound To Happen.
West became a session singer and sang back-up vocals on albums by Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Sammy Davis, Jr., Connie Francis, and Mitch Ryder. He was a jingle singer for radio and television commercials.
In 1968, Cashman, Pistilli and West signed with Capitol Records and recorded an album titled Cashman, Pistilli & West, produced by Nik Venet. Simultaneously, they recorded under the pseudonym The Buchanan Brothers. This trio is remembered for the single "Medicine Man." Also that year, they formed the publishing companies Interrobang Productions, Blendingwell Music, and Sister John Music. They signed folk duo Jim and Ingrid Croce and secured a recording contract with Capitol Records in 1969, turning production duties over to Nik Venet for their album Jim & Ingrid Croce. The album was released, but was not well received.
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