Felix Pappalardi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Felix Pappalardi
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Pappalardi playing a Mellotron in the '70s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. |
| Born | December 30, 1939 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | April 17, 1983 (aged 43) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, blues rock, hard rock |
| Occupation(s) | Music producer, songwriter, musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1960s-1983 |
Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. (born December 30, 1939 – died April 17, 1983) was an American music producer, songwriter, singer, and bassist. He is most famous as the bassist and one of the main singers for the band Mountain. Their song "Mississippi Queen" was a big hit and is still played a lot on classic rock radio.
Felix Pappalardi was also a key person behind the British band Cream. He helped write, arrange, and produce their second album, Disraeli Gears. As a producer for Atlantic Records, he worked with guitarist Leslie West. In 1969, they formed the band Mountain. Mountain was active for less than five years, but their music greatly influenced early heavy metal and hard rock bands. Pappalardi continued to work in music until his passing in 1983.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Training
Felix Pappalardi was born in the Bronx, a part of New York City. His family came from Italy. He was trained in classical music from a young age.
He went to New York City's famous The High School of Music & Art. Later, he studied at the University of Michigan.
Music Career Highlights
In 1964, Pappalardi joined Max Morath's Original Rag Quartet (ORQ). They played ragtime, a fun style of music from the early 1900s. He played the guitarrón, a large Mexican acoustic bass.
After college, Felix returned to New York. He joined the Greenwich Village folk music scene. He became known for his skill in arranging music. He also played on albums for artists like Tom Paxton and Joan Baez. Soon, he started producing records for other musicians.
Producing for Cream
Pappalardi is very well known for his work with the band Cream. He produced their second album, Disraeli Gears, which was a huge success. He added instruments to their songs and helped arrange them. He also co-wrote the Cream hit song "Strange Brew" with his wife, Gail Collins, and guitarist Eric Clapton. He produced other albums for Cream, including Wheels of Fire and Goodbye.
Forming the Band Mountain
As a musician, Felix Pappalardi is famous as the bassist and singer for Mountain. This hard rock band was a very early influence on heavy metal. He formed Mountain with guitarist Leslie West, after producing West's solo album.
Mountain recorded and toured a lot between 1969 and 1971. Pappalardi produced all the band's albums. He also helped write many of their songs with Gail Collins and Leslie West.
The band's most famous song, "Mississippi Queen", is still played on the radio today. Another popular song they had was "Nantucket Sleighride," which Felix wrote with Gail Collins.
Felix usually played Gibson basses, like the EB-1 violin bass. He got his unique sound by playing through Sunn amplifiers.
Later Years and Legacy
Felix Pappalardi had to stop touring because of some hearing loss. This was likely due to the very loud shows he played with Mountain. However, he kept producing music throughout the 1970s.
He released his own solo album called Don't Worry, Ma. He also recorded with a Japanese band called Creation. They had opened for Mountain during a tour in Japan.
Felix Pappalardi passed away on April 17, 1983, in New York City. He is buried next to his mother at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. His work as a producer and musician left a lasting mark on rock music.
Selected Discography
For his work with Mountain, please see their page.
- 1976: Creation/Felix Pappalardi – a collaboration with Creation
- 1979: Don't Worry, Ma
As a Producer
- 1967: The Youngbloods – The Youngbloods
- 1967: Cream – Disraeli Gears
- 1968: Cream – Wheels of Fire
- 1969: Cream – Goodbye
- 1969: Leslie West – Mountain
- 1969: Jack Bruce – Songs for a Tailor
- 1970: Mountain – Climbing!
- 1971: Mountain – Nantucket Sleighride
- 1971: Mountain – Flowers of Evil
- 1978: The Dead Boys – We Have Come for Your Children
Other Appearances and Contributions
- 1963: Vince Martin and Fred Neil – Tear Down the Walls – guitarrón and backing vocals
- 1964: Tom Paxton – Ramblin' Boy – guitarrón
- 1966: Buffy Sainte-Marie – Little Wheel Spin and Spin – arranger and conductor
- 1967: Devil's Anvil – Hard Rock From the Middle East – bass, guitar, tambura, percussion and vocals, arranger and musical director
- 1968: Bo Grumpus – Before the War – keyboards, trumpet, bass, guitar, percussion, ocarina
- 1975: The Flock – Inside Out – backing vocals
Images for kids
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Pappalardi playing a Mellotron in the '70s
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The grave of Felix Pappalardi in Woodlawn Cemetery
