Tony Mottola

  • Tony Mottola - Guitar...Mottola [Command Records RS 807 SD] (1959)
  • Tony Mottola - Plays Country And Western [Command Records RS 823 SD] (1961)
  • Tony Mottola - String Band Strum-Along [Command Records RS 828 SD] (1961)
  • Tony Mottola - Spanish Guitar [Command Records RS 841 SD] (1962)
  • Tony Mottola - Romantic Guitar [Command Records RS 847 SD] (1963)
  • Tony Mottola And His Orchestra - Sentimental Guitar [Command Records RS 864 SD] (1964)
  • Tony Mottola - Guitar...Paris [Command Records RS 877 SD] (1964)
  • Tony Mottola - Command Performances [Command Records RS 885 SD] (1965)
  • Tony Mottola - Guitar U.S.A. [Command Records RS 908 SD] (1966)
  • Tony Mottola - Heart & Soul [Project 3 Records PR 5003] (1966)
  • Tony Mottola - Guitar - A Latin Love-In [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5010 SD] (1967)
  • Tony Mottola - Lush, Latin & Lovely [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5020 SD] (1967)
  • Tony Mottola - Warm, Wild And Wonderful [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5025 SD DJ] (1968)
  • Tony Mottola - Roma Oggi (Rome Today) [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5032 SD/QD] (1968)
  • Tony Mottola - Joins The Guitar Underground [Project 3 PR 5035 SD] (1969)
  • Tony Mottola - Close To You [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5050SD] (1970)
  • Tony Mottola - Superstar Guitar [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5062 QD] (1972)
  • Tony Mottola - Enoch Light Presents Tony Mottola & Strings [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5069 SD] (1972)
  • Tony Mottola - I Only Have Eyes For You [Project 3 Total Sound PR 5094 SD] (1975)
  • Tony Mottola - My Favorite Things [Project 3 Total Sound PR2-6007/6008Q] (1975)
  • Tony Mottola - Goin' Out Of My Head [Project 3 PR5101] (1979)

Biography

Jason Ankeny [allmusic.com]

A guitarist best known for his extensive solo and session work on producer Enoch Light's Command and Project 3 labels, Tony Mottola was born April 18, 1918 in Kearny, NJ. He began playing guitar at the age of nine, and attended high school alongside ill-fated jazz saxophonist Herbie Haymer and future bandleader George Paxton; after graduating, Mottola toured with George Hall's orchestra, making his recorded debut on the group's rendition of ''Shine.'' In 1941 he was hired by the CBS radio studio orchestra, performing behind everyone from Raymond Scott to Frank Sinatra; there Mottola also backed Perry Como, with whom he remained as an accompanist for many years. Concurrently he also earned notice for his solo musical score for the Yul Brynner television series Danger. Mottola released his first Command LP Mr. Big in 1959; when Light formed the audiophile label Project 3 in 1965, the guitarist went with him, additionally serving as an associate producer. At that time, Mottola also played with Doc Severinsen's Orchestra on NBC's The Tonight Show. Although Light died in 1978, Mottola remained with Project 3 until 1983, concurrently backing Sinatra in the studio and on tour. His working relationship with Sinatra continued until the guitarist's retirement in 1988. Tony Mottola died August 9, 2004.