From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Sat Sep 7, 2002 2:04 am Subject: Born To Be With You : Al Caiola AL CAIOLA Born 7 September 1920, Jersey City, New Jersey Guitarist / composer / bandleader. Al Caiola is a guitarist who initially made his reputation as a session musician, playing on records by Percy Faith and Andre Kostelanetz, among others. Caiola was the conductor and arranger for United Artists Records in the late '40s and early '50s. After leaving UA, he signed with RCA, where he released a number of singles in the '50s. He adapted easily to the changes brought about by the advent of rock 'n' roll and was much in demand as a session guitarist in the second half of the fifties. He can be heard on many Atlantic sessions, by (among others) Ruth Brown, Chuck Willis, The Coasters, LaVern Baker (Voodoo Voodoo, Dix-a-Billy, I Cried A Tear) and Bobby Darin (Splish Splash, Queen Of The Hop) and most of the Chancellor records by Frankie Avalon and Fabian (that's Al doing the guitar solo on "Tiger"). In the early '60s, he went back to United Artists, which is where he scored the first hit under his own name with the theme to the film "The Magnificent Seven". The single peaked at # 35 in early 1961 and it was quickly followed by the theme to the television series "Bonanza", which climbed to # 19. For the rest of the '60s, Caiola released a number of easy listening instrumental albums. During the decade he also hosted a television show, which was only aired for a short while. Caiola continued to record throughout the '70s and into the '80s. Now in his eighties, he is still active and currently touring with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. Website: http://www.zyworld.com/alcaiola/ This year the Australian Raven label released "Bonanza 1960-1969". 33 tracks from the United Artists label.