{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Use British English|date=October 2017}} {{short description|Scottish guitarist (1938–2012)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Joe Moretti | image = | caption = | image_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels --> | birth_name = Joseph Edward Moretti | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|5|10|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Glasgow]], [[Strathclyde]], Scotland | death_date = {{death date and age|2012|2|9|1938|5|10|df=y}} | death_place = [[Johannesburg]], South Africa | origin = | instrument = [[Guitar]] | genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[skiffle]], [[rock music|rock]]<ref name="Dead"/> | occupation = [[Guitarist]], [[songwriter]] | years_active = 1960s–1970s | label = | website = {{url|http://www.joemoretti.org}} }}
'''Joseph Edward Moretti'''<ref name="Dead"/> (10 May 1938 – 9 February 2012)<ref name="Dead">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2012.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club|publisher=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|accessdate=23 February 2012}}</ref> was a Scottish [[guitarist]] and [[songwriter]], renowned for his work on seminal UK [[rock and roll]] records such as [[Vince Taylor]]'s "[[Brand New Cadillac]]" and [[Johnny Kidd & the Pirates]]' "[[Shakin' All Over]]", and later for his work as a [[session musician]]. He also worked with [[Gene Vincent]], [[Vince Eager]], [[Lesley Duncan]], [[Nero and the Gladiators]], [[Ronnie Jones (singer)|Ronnie Jones and The Nightimers]], [[Eddie Calvert]], [[Johnny Duncan (bluegrass musician)|Johnny Duncan]]'s Bluegrass Boys, [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], [[Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys]], [[Chris Farlowe]], and [[Madeline Bell]].<ref name="Dead" />
==Life and career== Moretti was born in [[Glasgow]] in 1938, to an Irish mother and an [[Italian Scots|Italian Scottish]] father.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2012-02-22 |title=Joe Moretti: Session guitarist whose work graced a string of hits |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/joe-moretti-session-guitarist-whose-work-graced-a-string-of-hits-7321346.html |access-date=2025-09-26 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Barbra Streisand Archives {{!}} Joe Moretti, guitarist on OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS |url=http://barbra-archives.com/bjs_library/70s/moretti_musical_instruments.html |access-date=2025-09-26 |website=barbra-archives.com}}</ref> He moved to [[London]] in November 1958 with his wife Pina, and instantly became part of the burgeoning rock and roll scene based around [[The 2i's Coffee Bar]] in Soho.<ref>{{cite web|title=2 I's Coffee Bar|url=http://www.joemoretti.org/page3.htm|publisher=JoeMoretti.org|accessdate=20 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721063528/http://www.joemoretti.org/page3.htm|archive-date=21 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kielty|first=Martin|title=Scotland's number ones|url=http://www.bignoisebook.com/bignoise/readabout.html|publisher=Big Noise|accessdate=20 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910135629/http://www.bignoisebook.com/bignoise/readabout.html|archive-date=10 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> There he found opportunities backing up singers such as [[Gene Vincent]], [[Vince Eager]], Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys<ref>{{cite web|title=Colin Hicks & The Cabin Boys|url=https://forgottenbands.blogspot.com/2010/10/colin-hicks-cabin-boys.html|website=Forgottenbands.blogspot.com|accessdate=20 June 2011}}</ref> and other skiffle acts and nascent rock n' roll outfits.
It was in the 2i's, in early 1959, that Moretti discovered guitarist-singer [[Tony Sheridan]] had quit Vince Taylor's band, The Playboys, and was asked to take his place. Moretti toured with Taylor in the UK and cut "Brand New Cadillac" in the spring of 1959. Shortly after, Moretti left the band to take up with Johnny Duncan's Bluegrass Boys. The following year, 1960, Moretti was to play guitar on another session after being called into the studio by Johnny Kidd & the Pirates' guitarist [[Alan Caddy]] to play leads on two songs: UK number one single "[[Shakin' All Over]]" and its follow-up "Restless". It was Moretti who created the special signature sound to "Shakin' All Over" by sliding a cigarette lighter up and down the fret-board of his guitar.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}
During the 1970s, Moretti was part of [[Madeline Bell]]'s backing band.<ref name=":0" />
===Session work and uncredited appearances=== Throughout the 1960s Moretti continued to tour and record with artists such as [[Nero and the Gladiators]], Ronnie Jones and The Nightimers and [[Eddie Calvert]]. In addition, Moretti was in demand as a [[session musician]] and, along with other UK guitarists such as [[Big Jim Sullivan]], future [[Led Zeppelin]] guitarist [[Jimmy Page]] and [[Vic Flick]], often played guitar at a recording date without being credited. Moretti claims to have played guitar on hits for [[Tony Meehan#Jet Harris and Tony Meehan|Jet Harris and Tony Meehan]] ("[[Scarlett O'Hara (instrumental)|Scarlet O'Hara]]" and "[[Applejack (song)|Applejack]]")<ref>{{cite web|title=The Truth About Jet Harris|url=http://www.joemoretti.org/page22.htm|publisher=JoeMoretti.org|accessdate=20 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721063707/http://www.joemoretti.org/page22.htm|archive-date=21 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Donovan]]'s hit record "[[Mellow Yellow]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=John McLaughlin - List of Issued Records|last=Haidenbauer|first=Johann|url=http://www.oocities.org/bourbonstreet/quarter/7055/McLaughlin/index.htm|publisher=Robert's Jazz Corner|accessdate=20 June 2011}}</ref>
It is now accepted that he played guitar on at least two more UK number one records: [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]]' "[[It's Not Unusual]]" and [[Chris Farlowe]]'s [[Rolling Stones]] cover "[[Out of Time (Rolling Stones song)|Out of Time]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Rolling Stones Database: 1966/660427A|url=http://www.nzentgraf.de/books/tcw/1966.htm|publisher=The Complete Works Website|accessdate=20 June 2011}}</ref>
=== Later work === Moretti settled in [[South Africa]], in the late 1970s.<ref name=":0" /> He worked as house musician at a [[Sun City (South Africa)|Sun City]] casino.<ref name=":0" /> He contributed to a 1994 [[Sonoton]] album called ''Authentic Africa,'' featured alongside [[Dizu Plaatjies]] and [[Amampondo]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Dizu Plaatjies, Pedro Espi-Sanchis, Bez Martin, Ron Franchitti, Joe Willis, Joe Moretti, Romeo Avelino, Xosa Tribe Drum Ensemble, Amampondo - Authentic Africa |date=1994 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/15464371-Dizu-Plaatjies-Pedro-Espi-Sanchis-Bez-Martin-Ron-Franchitti-Joe-Willis-Joe-Moretti-Romeo-Avelino-Xos |access-date=2025-09-28 |language=en}}</ref>
== Death == Moretti died from lung cancer in [[Johannesburg]] in February 2012, aged 73.<ref name="Dead" />
==Partial discography==
===Singles=== *"Pledgin' My Love"/"[[Brand New Cadillac]]" - [[Vince Taylor|Vince Taylor and his Playboys]] (April 1959) *"[[Shakin' All Over]]"/"Yes Sir, That's My Baby" - [[Johnny Kidd & the Pirates]] (August 1960) *"[[In the Hall of the Mountain King]]" - [[Nero and the Gladiators]] (July 1961) *"[[It's Not Unusual]]" - [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]] (January 1965) *"Snakes and Snails" - [[Alma Cogan]] (July 1965) *"[[Out of Time (Rolling Stones song)|Out of Time]]" - Chris Farlowe (June 1966) *"Aggravation" - Chris Curtis (June 1966)
===Albums=== *''Own Up'' - [[Twice as Much]] (1966) *''Oscillation 67!'' - The Leading Figures (1967) *''Don Partridge'' - [[Don Partridge]] (1968) *''[[Would You Believe (Billy Nicholls album)|Would You Believe]]'' - [[Billy Nicholls]] (1968) *''Pick Up a Bone'' - [[Rupert Hine]] (1971) *''[[Sing Children Sing]]'' - [[Lesley Duncan]] (1971) *''[[Barbados Sky]]'' - [[Typically Tropical]] (1975)
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.joemoretti.org}} * [https://www.discogs.com/artist/362182-Joe-Moretti Joe Moretti at Discogs]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moretti, Joe}} [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:2012 deaths]] [[Category:Scottish rock guitarists]] [[Category:Scottish male guitarists]] [[Category:Scottish session musicians]] [[Category:Scottish male songwriters]] [[Category:Musicians from Glasgow]] [[Category:Scottish people of Italian descent]] [[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in South Africa]] [[Category:Scottish people of Irish descent]] [[Category:British expatriates in South Africa]] [[Category:Scottish expatriates in South Africa]] [[Category:Nero and the Gladiators members]]