Liberty DeVitto

Best known while Billy Joel’s longtime drummer, Liberty DeVitto in addition has appeared like a program drummer about recordings for a number of other artists. Given birth to on August 8, 1950, in Brooklyn, NY, DeVitto was raised in Seaford, Very long Isle; and, after getting the Beatles on the infamous Ed Sullivan Display appearance in early 1964, was influenced to try out the drums. Completely self-taught, DeVitto started playing in regional bands during senior high school, before getting gigs with Mitch Ryder and Richie Supa; the second option of whom asked the drummer to try out on his obscure 1970 launch, Supa’s Jamboree. DeVitto was traveling the group’s gear van one night back type a gig, when he was involved with a serious incident which remaining him with accidental injuries that avoided him from playing drums for pretty much a 12 months. DeVitto 1st gig back again after his recovery is at a wedding music group, which eventually resulted in the forming of a fresh group, Topper. Comprising DeVitto on drums; Doug Stegmeyer on bass; Russell Javors on acoustic guitar and vocals; and Howie Emerson on acoustic guitar, slide acoustic guitar, and dobro; the group (by adding saxophonist Richie Cannata) would become Billy Joel’s support band with the middle-’70s. Subsequently, the drummer supported Joel on the string of traditional recordings (1976’s Turnstiles, 1977’s The Stranger, 1978’s 52nd Road, 1980’s Glass Homes, 1981’s Tracks in the Attic, 1982’s Nylon Drape, and 1983’s Innocent Guy). Because of this, DeVitto became an extremely sought-after program drummer, playing on such albums as Meats Loaf’s Deceased Ringer, Carly Simon’s Spoiled Young lady, Rick Wakeman’s Burning up, Mick Jones’ self-titled single debut, and periods for the past due Karen Carpenter (that have been eventually released on the 1996 self-titled posthumous discharge), amongst others. DeVitto is constantly on the tour and record with Joel, as the past due ’90s noticed him type a side music group, the Funk Membership, comprised of people through the Orlando, FL, region.