Madaio, Steve (18th July 1948-15th January 2019)

He was a trumpeter often known for wearing a black hat who was a much in-demand studio and touring musician for countless artists from the 1960s onwards.

He was a performer with the Pat Rizzo Big Band from the time he was 16 and remained with them for their recording sessions into the 1970s. He also went on to become a member of Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band during the 1960s and performed with them at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals. With the horn section members of the band he was taken on by Stevie Wonder and performed on his hit songs “Superstition”, which he was notable on, along with “Sir Duke”, “I Wish” and “Another Star” and the albums Talking Book, Fulfillingness’ First Finale and Songs in the Key of Life which all won Grammy Awards.

Also in 1972 he toured with the Rolling Stones when Stevie Wonder was the opening act for them. He was offered a place with the Rolling Stones which he accepted for a brief period and toured Europe with them. He did, however, return to the recording studio with Stevie Wonder. before going out to worked with numerous other headlining artists as a studio musician.

Some of the very many artists he performed with include Air Supply, the Alessi Brothers, Gregg Allman, The Blackbyrds, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Michael Bolton, Bobby Caldwell, Eric Carmen, Bill Champlin, Harry Chapin, Joe Cocker, Paulinho Da Costa, Robert Cray, Kiki Dee, Willy DeVille, Dion, The Emotions, Richie Furay, Janis Ian, The Imperials, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Roberta Kelly, Nicolette Larson, D.C. LaRue, Hubert Laws, Light of the World, Cheryl Lynn, Melissa Manchester, Dave Mason, John Mayall, Meat Loaf, Les McCann, Liza Minnelli, Maria Muldaur, Country Joe McDonald, Milton Nascimento, Maxine Nightingale, Harry Nilsson, Alan O’Day, Claus Ogerman, Michael Omartian, Dolly Parton, Esther Phillips, The Pointer Sisters, Bonnie Raitt, The Rascals, Martha Reeves, Brenda Russell, Tom Saviano, Side Effect, Sly & The Family Stone and Dusty Springfield and Syreeta.

In 2006 he released his own album Midnight Rendezvous and other recordings he performed on during his career are numerous, but a selection of them include No Strings by Ace, Dreams by The Allman Brothers Band, Sometimes I Just Feel Like Smilin’ by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Legacy 1961-2017 by Glen Campbell, The Cate Brothers Bands by The Cate Brothers, Closer to You by J.J. Cale, Complete Clapton by Eric Clapton, Beautiful Noise by Neil Diamond, Street Legal by Bob Dylan, I Am by Earth, Wind and Fire, The End of the Innocence by Don Henley, 25th Anniversary Edition by KC & The Sunshine Band,Guess Who by B.B. King, Walls and Bridges by John Lennon, Second Helping by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Like a Prayer by Madonna, Where We All Belong by The Marshall Tucker Band, Totally Hot by Olivia Newton John, Endless Flight by Leo Sayer, Down Two Then Left by Boz Scaggs, Hotcakes by Carly Simon, Goodnight Vienna by Ringo Starr, Blondes Have More Fun by Rod Stewart, Songbird by Barbra Streisand, Bad Girls by Donna Summer, In the Pocket by James Taylor, Love at First Sight by Dionne Warwick and This Is Niecy by Deniece Williams along with soundttracks and countless compilations and collections.

He co-authored his memoir Reflections in the Key of Life with the author Tad Sisler which was published in paperback, as an audio book and on a podcast.

He died after suffering a heart attack at his home in Palm Desert, California in January 2019 when he was 70 years old.

Glen Campbell recordings
Hollywood Smiles (Larry Weiss)
Capitol Records 1A 006 86273

Sources:

Madaio, Steve (18th July 1948-15th January 2019)

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