Charles Calello

{{Short description|American songwriter (born 1938)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Charles Calello | image = Charles Calello Conducting.jpg | image_size = | caption = Calello Conducting in 2018 | birth_name = Charles Calello | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|08|24}} | birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, US | origin = Newark, New Jersey | instrument = Bass guitar | genre = Rock, pop | occupation = Record producer, arranger, conductor, composer, musician | years_active = 1956-present | label = | associated_acts = The Four Seasons<br>Frank Sinatra<br>Barbra Streisand | website = }}

'''Charles Calello''' (born August 24, 1938) is an American arranger, composer, conductor, record producer, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey. Calello attended Newark Arts High School<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nps.k12.nj.us/domain/266 | title=Newark Arts High School : Our history | publisher=Newark Public Schools | access-date=7 May 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190349/http://www.nps.k12.nj.us/domain/266 | archive-date=29 October 2013 }}</ref><ref>McCall, Tris. [https://www.nj.com/inside-jersey/index.ssf/2015/12/sinatra_at_100_revisiting_the_voice_of_the_lonely_desolate_hoboken_waterfront.html "Sinatra at 100: Revisiting the voice of Hoboken"], ''Inside Jersey'', December 11, 2015. Accessed August 14, 2018. "On ''Watertown,'' a lost concept set about a small-town man abandoned by his wife, Sinatra collaborated with, among others, Four Seasons songwriter Bob Gaudio and arranger and pop bassist (and Newark Arts High graduate) Charles Calello."</ref> and the Manhattan School of Music,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.notc.com/Content/Spotlights/1977/Charlie_Calello-5-77.pdf | title=Cover Biography: Charlie Calello | publisher=New On The Charts Archive | access-date=7 May 2014}}</ref> in New York City. His track record of successfully collaborating with various artists to produce or arrange Billboard hit songs led to his nickname in the industry as the "Hit Man".

In the late 1950s, Calello was a member of Frankie Valli's group The Four Lovers, but left before the group was transformed into The Four Seasons. In 1962, he became the group's musical arranger. In 1965, he briefly filled in for Nick Massi (who was Calello's replacement in The Four Lovers five years earlier but had abruptly quit the band) while the band prepared Joe Long to take the role on a permanent basis.<ref name=joelongrecordobit>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/04/22/joe-long-four-seasons-elizabeth-native-jersey-boy-has-died/7331328002/|title=Joe Long, Four Seasons bassist and Elizabeth native, has died|first=Chris|last=Jordan|website=North Jersey Media Group|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref> Following his stint with the Seasons, he became a staff arranger/producer at Columbia Records. In 1968, he became an independent producer and arranger and a year later arranged Frank Sinatra's album ''Watertown'', written by Bob Gaudio.

He has worked and recorded with Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Roberto Carlos, Neil Diamond, Al Kooper, Bruce Springsteen, Jane Olivor, Laura Nyro, Liza Minnelli, Engelbert Humperdinck, the Cyrkle, Jimmy Clanton, Ray Charles, Deana Martin, Natalie Cole, Bobby Vinton, Janis Ian, Barry Manilow, Juice Newton, Red Rider, Nancy Sinatra, the Highwaymen, Shirley Ellis, Deborah Allen, and many others. Calello was the conductor and responsible for the string arrangements on Springsteen's "Jungleland" from the album ''Born to Run''.

Calello has had over 100 ''Billboard'' chart records, 38 of which have been top 20.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.charlescalello.com/Hit_Records.htm | title=Calello Billboard Top 100 | work=charlescalello.com | access-date=16 Jan 2016 | archive-date=23 February 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223213336/http://www.charlescalello.com/Hit_Records.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> Some of his hits include "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond, "Native New Yorker" by Odyssey, "My Heart Belongs to Me" by Barbra Streisand, and "After the Lovin'" by Engelbert Humperdinck. In 1979, he had his own hit record with a disco version of "Sing, Sing, Sing".<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p61775/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}}|title=Charles Calello > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles|publisher=All Music|access-date=3 September 2009}}</ref>

He has also composed film music, including the scores to ''Who Killed Teddy Bear'' (1965) and ''The Lonely Lady'' (1983). In 1992, he became principal arranger and assistant conductor of the Florida Symphonic Pops in Boca Raton, which became the Sunshine Pops Orchestra.

Calello was one of many prominent musicians who was defrauded by manager Stan Polley in the late 1960s and 1970s.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eAURGSMNfTUC|title=Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger|last=Matovina|first=Dan|date=January 1, 2000|publisher=Frances Glover Books|isbn=978-0-9657122-2-4|language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|0129843}} * {{Discogs artist|Charlie Calello}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calello, Charlie}} Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Newark, New Jersey Category:Manhattan School of Music alumni Category:Newark Arts High School alumni Category:Record producers from New Jersey Category:The Four Seasons (band) members Category:Jersey Shore musicians Category:American music arrangers Category:American male songwriters Category:American male conductors (music) Category:21st-century American composers Category:Classical musicians from New York (state) Category:Classical musicians from New Jersey Category:21st-century American conductors (music) Category:21st-century American male composers