"The Wrecking Crew," An Incredible Film About LA Musicians Previewed at Library on 9/27

"THE WRECKING CREW," A MULTI-AWARD WINNING MUSICAL FILM, AT LIBRARY ON SEPTEMBER 27

"The Wrecking Crew," a documentary about the legendary group of unsung L.A. studio musicians in the 60s and 70s, will be showcased in a very
special screening in the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room on
Thursday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m.  The film has garnered prestigious
awards and high praise in festivals and theaters around the U.S. and Europe,
but has never been shown in the Greater Pasadena area. Filmmaker Denny Tedesco will introduce the film and conduct a Q & A with the audience.

The Wrecking Crew was the nickname of the collective of session pros who played on hundreds of bestselling records in the 60s and 70s, including dozens of number one hits. They played on classics by the likes of The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Elvis Presley.
Although their names weren't on the album covers, they also provided
instrumentation to songs by Sonny & Cher, The Monkees, The Mamas and the
Papas, The Tijuana Brass, Ricky Nelson, The Byrds, The Righteous Brothers, The
Carpenters, Simon & Garfunkel, and many, many more.

Denny Tedesco began the film as a tribute to his father Tommy who has been called the most oft-recorded guitarist in history. Denny began by interviewing his father after he had been diagnosed with cancer and then continued by interviewing other Wrecking Crew members. Also appearing in
the film are Dick Clark, Herb Alpert, Glen Campbell, Cher, Brian Wilson, Jimmy
Webb, and famed Wrecking Crew stalwarts, bassist Carol Kaye and drummer Hal
Blaine, whose still photos are interspersed throughout.

 The Wrecking Crew has been praised in such publications as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Variety, and The San Francisco Chronicle, but it cannot be commercially released until all of the song licensing fees are paid. The licensing amounts to more than $250,000 because excerpts of 130 hit songs are featured in the soundtrack. To help Tedesco raise the funds, donations of $20 to the
International Documentary Association, a 501(c) (3) are suggested from audience
members.  Tickets can be reserved at: http://spasadenalibrary.eventbrite.com/.

Joining Denny Tedesco for the Q & A will be special guests, pianist Don Randi and singer Ron Hicklin of The Wrecking Crew. Also appearing will be composer, arranger, producer, and musician Van Dyke Parks. Don Randi is a GRAMMY® nominated bandleader who owns The Baked Potato jazz club
in Studio City. Randi has played on innumerable hit records by the likes of
James Brown, Peggy Lee, Neil Diamond, Linda Ronstadt, Dionne Warwick, Buffalo
Springfield, and Carole King.  In the 60s he was a major contributor as a musician and arranger for Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" and played piano on "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra and "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys. Ron Hicklin has sung on over 100 hit records, with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley, The Beatles to Ray Charles, and Neil Diamond to Elton John.  Van Dyke Parks has worked with Phil Ochs, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, U2, Harry Nilsson, The Everly Brothers, and many others. Parks is probably most known for his collaborations with Brian Wilson, especially for his lyrical contributions to SMiLE.

The event is co-sponsored by the South Pasadena Public Library and the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library. Special thanks to Videotheque. The Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro Street. Doors will
open at 6:30 p.m. and refreshments will be provided.