Rocco Prestia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rocco Prestia
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Prestia in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Francis Rocco Prestia Jr. |
| Born | March 7, 1951 Sonora, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 29, 2020 (aged 69) |
| Genres | Smooth jazz, jazz-funk, funk, rhythm and blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Electric bass |
| Years active | 1970–2020 |
| Associated acts | Tower of Power |
Francis Rocco Prestia Jr. (born March 7, 1951 – died September 29, 2020) was an American musician. He was a famous bassist known for playing in the funk band Tower of Power.
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About Rocco Prestia's Life
Rocco Prestia was born in Sonora, California. When he was a teenager, he started playing the electric guitar. Later, he tried out for a band called Tower of Power. The band's leader, Emilio Castillo, convinced Rocco to switch to playing the bass guitar.
Rocco played with Tower of Power for 30 years. In 2001, he became very sick. His friends and fans helped raise money for his medical care. On December 5, 2014, Rocco had a successful liver transplant surgery. He passed away on September 29, 2020, at 69 years old.
Rocco's Unique Bass Style
Rocco Prestia was a master of a special way of playing called fingerstyle funk. He would gently mute the strings with his left hand. This made a unique, percussive sound. Even with this sound, the notes stayed clear and accurate.
This special sound, along with his rhythmic bass lines, made Rocco's playing easy to recognize. He was part of a group of musicians who changed how the electric bass was played. These musicians inspired others, like Jaco Pastorius, in the 1970s.
You can hear Rocco's influential style on classic Tower of Power songs. One famous example is the 1973 hit "What is Hip". Rocco said that James Jamerson and the musicians who played for James Brown (especially Bootsy Collins) were his biggest inspirations.
Rocco's Musical Gear
Rocco Prestia mainly used Fender Precision basses. He had a purple transparent American Deluxe model. He also had a special signature model with a unique pickup.
Later, he worked with the Conklin company. They made a custom four-string bass just for him. In 2013, ESP Guitars announced that Rocco would be working with them. They later introduced their LTD RB series of basses.
Rocco Prestia's Music Albums
As a Solo Artist
- Everybody on the Bus! (1999)
With Tower of Power
- East Bay Grease (1970)
- Bump City (1972)
- Tower of Power (1973)
- Back to Oakland (1974)
- Urban Renewal (1975)
- In The Slot (1975)
- Live and in Living Color (1976)
- Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now (1976)
- Power (1987)
- Monster on a Leash (1991)
- T.O.P. (1993)
- Souled Out (1995)
- Rhythm & Business (1997)
- Direct Plus (1997)
- Soul Vaccination Live (1999)
- Dinosaur Tracks (2000)
- Oakland Zone (2003)
- The Great American Soul Book (2009)
- Soul Side of Town (2018)
- Step Up (2020)
With Other Artists
- Carmen Grillo, Both Sides Of The Coin (1996)
- Bruce Conte, Right From My Heart (1997) (bass on "Thump")
- Yoichi Murata, Hook Up (1999) (bass on "Positive Sign", "When You Leave (And I...)", "Carry On")
- Gov't Mule, The Deep End, Volume 2 (2002) (bass on "What Is Hip?")
Rocco Prestia's Videos
- Fingerstyle Funk (1993)
- Francis Rocco Prestia: Live at Bass Day (1998)
See also
In Spanish: Francis "Rocco" Prestia para niños
