Waddy Watchel

Waddy Wachtel
Wachtel, center, with Jackson Browne (left) and John Cowsill (right), in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Robert Wachtel
Born	(1947-05-24) May 24, 1947 (age 70) New York City, New York, United States
Genres	Rock folk rock pop jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter composer record producer bandleader
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1970–present
Labels	Arista Elektra CBS WEA Columbia EMI Virgin Asylum Warner Bros. Giant
Associated acts	Linda Ronstadt James Taylor Keith Richards Stevie Nicks Warren Zevon The Blues Brothers The Cowsills Jackson Browne Bernard Fowler Blondie Chaplin George Thorogood Bob Weir J. D. Souther
Website	waddywachtelinfo.com
Notable instruments
1958 Gibson Les Paul

Robert "Waddy" Wachtel (born May 24, 1947) is an American musician, composer and record producer, most notable for his guitar work. Wachtel has worked as session musician for other artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards, James Taylor, Iggy Pop, Warren Zevon, Bryan Ferry, Michael Sweet, Jackson Browne, and Andrew Gold, both in the studio and live.

Wachtel was born May 24, 1947, in Jackson Heights in the New York City borough of Queens. At about age 9–10, Wachtel began to learn to play the guitar, taking lessons with teacher Gene Dell (who insisted that he learn to play right-handed despite being naturally left-handed) until about age 14. At that age, he says, he began writing songs.

Wachtel also studied with Rudolph Schramm, who was the head of the NBC staff orchestra and went on to teach music at Carnegie Hall. Schramm tried to get Wachtel to take piano lessons, but Wachtel was intent on playing guitar so Schramm agreed to give him guitar lessons three times a week on rhythm, melody and harmony.

After performing with local bands in the New York area, Wachtel formed his own band, The Orphans, who played in Connecticut and New Hampshire. Eventually the band settled into a regular bar band routine, playing in Newport, Rhode Island, where Wachtel took lessons from Sal Salvador. When the Orphans disbanded, he formed another band, Twice Nicely. At the suggestion of Bud Cowsill (of The Cowsills), he brought Twice Nicely to Los Angeles in 1968 where they recorded a few demos, but after two years, Wachtel decided to work as a session player, recording with The Cowsills and produce their albums.