On November 25, 2011, Don DeVito died aged 72. He was musician (guitar), record producer and music business executive. He started playing guitar on tours with Al Kooper, and has his own band The Sabres. He worked with Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and Aerosmith, but was best known as producer of some of the most important Bob Dylan’s albums, including “Blood on the Tracks”, “Desire”, “Street Legal”, “Hard rain”, and “Bob Dylan at Budokan”. In 1989 DeVito won “Grammy Award” for “Best Traditional Folk Recording”.
Tag Archives: Don DeVito
Billy Joel: River of Dreams
On August 10, 1993, “Columbia” label released “River of Dreams”, the twelve Billy Joel studio album. It was recorded in 1992, at The Boathouse at the “Island Boatyard” in Shelter Island, NY, “Cove City Sound Studios” in Glen Cove, NY and “The Hit Factory” in New York City, and was produced by Billy Joel, Danny Kortchmar, Joe Nicolo and David Thoener. The album was certified 3 x Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; Platinum in Austria by “IFPI Austria”; 3 x Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada; Platinum in Germany by “BMVI”; 2 x Platinum in Ireland by “IRMA”; Platinum in Japan by “RIAJ”; Platinum in Netherlands by “NVPI”; Platinum in New Zealand by “RMNZ”; Platinum in Switzerland by “IFPI Switzerland”; Platinum in UK by “BPI”; and 5 x Platinum in US by “RIIA”.
Personnel:
- Billy Joel – lead and backing vocals, clavinet, Hammond organ, piano, organ, synthesizer, keyboards
- Tommy Byrnes – guitar
- Mike Tyler – guitar
- Leslie West – guitar
- Danny Kortchmar – guitar
- Jeff Jacobs – synthesizer, additional programming
- Jeff Lee Johnson – bass
- Schuyler Deale: bass
- Chuck Treece – bass
- M. Stevens – bass
- Lonnie Hillyer – bass
- Liberty DeVitto – drums
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Zachary Alford – drums
- Andy Kravitz – percussion
- Jim Saporito – percussion
- Richie Cannata – tenor sax
- Arno Hecht – baritone sax
- Laurence Etkin – trumpet
- Osvaldo Melindez – trombone
- Wrecia Ford – backing vocals
- Color Me Badd – backing vocals
- David Witworth – backing vocals
- Frank Simms, George Simms – backing vocals
- Crystal Taliefero – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- Marlon Saunders – choir vocals, backing vocals
- Phillip Ballou, Katreese Barnes, Dennis Collins, Will Downing, Frank Floyd, Diane Garisto, Stephanie James, Devora Johnson, Corliss Stafford, Brenda White-King – choir vocals
- Curtis Rance King, Jr.- choir conductor and contractor
- Ira Newborn: orchestration
- Bob Thrasher, Bradshaw Leigh, Dave Wilkerson, Jay Healy – recording
- Carl Glanville, Joe Nicolo, Phil Nicolo, Dick Grobelny – engineer
- Dan Hetzel, Brian Vibberts – engineer
- Niko Bolas, David Thoener, Joe Nicolo, Phil Nicolo – mixing
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- Jeff Schock – art concept
- Christopher Austopchuk – art direction
- Christie Brinkley – cover painting
- Sara Rotman – design
- Glen Erler – photography
- Lewis Del Gatto: orchestra manager
- Bill Zampino – production coordinator
- Andrew Baker, Artie Smith, Courtney Spencer, Dave Hofbauer, David Hewitt, Doug Kleeger, Greg Garland, Howie Mendelson, Jon “J.D.” Dworkow*, Larry DeMarco, Laura Delia, Lester Baylinson, Peter Goodrich, Steve Bramberg – technical support
Track listing:
All tracks by Billy Joel.
- No Man’s Land
- The Great Wall of China
- Blonde Over Blue
- A Minor Variation
- Shades of Grey
- All About Soul
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
- The River of Dreams
- Two Thousand Years
- Famous Last Words
Bob Dylan: Street Legal
On June 15, 1978, “Columbia” label released “Street Legal”, the eighteenth Bob Dylan studio. It was recorded April – May 1978, at “Rundown Studios” in Santa Monica, and was produced by Don DeVito.
Personnel:
- Bob Dylan– lead vocals, rhythm electric guitar
- Billy Cross– lead electric guitar
- Steven Soles– rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Alan Pasqua– keyboards
- Jerry Scheff– bass guitar
- Ian Wallace– drums
- Bobbye Hall– percussion
- Steve Douglas– soprano and tenor saxophone
- Steve Madaio – trumpet
- David Mansfield– violin, mandolin
- Carolyn Dennis– backing vocals
- Jo Ann Harris – backing vocals
- Helena Springs – backing vocals
- Biff Dawes – engineer
- Filmways/Heider – recording
- Stan Kalina – mastering
Track liating:
All tracks by Bob Dylan.
- Changing of the Guards
- New Pony
- No Time to Think
- Baby, Stop Crying
- Is Your Love in Vain
- Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
- True Love Tends to Forget
- We Better Talk This Over
- Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat)

