{{Infobox musical artist | name = Joe Vannelli | image = Joe Vannelli.jpg | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|12|28|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], Canada | instrument = [[Keyboard instrument|Keyboards]] | genre = [[Pop rock]], [[soft rock]], [[jazz]], [[blue-eyed soul]], [[funk]] | occupation = Musician | years_active = 1973–present | label = | website = }}

'''Joe Vannelli''' (born 28 December 1950) is a Canadian musician, composer and record producer. He is credited on most records of his brother, [[Gino Vannelli]], and in collaboration with youngest brother [[Ross Vannelli]], the three have won many awards.

Vannelli studied music theory in [[Montreal]], and learned to play piano. He was influenced by artists like [[Bill Evans]], [[Oscar Peterson]], [[Dave Brubeck]] and [[Erroll Garner]]. During the seventies he developed an interest in electronic instruments; he was one of the early [[synthesizer]] players. He contributed to most of Gino's albums as a composer, producer, arranger, programmer and engineer.

Apart from his work with Gino and Ross, he has been credited by many artists like [[Chaka Khan]], [[Eartha Kitt]], [[Gary Morris]], [[David Meece]], [[Kudasai]], [[Marilyn Scott]], [[Jimmy Haslip]], [[REO Speedwagon]], [[Brenda Russell]], [[Pat Thomi]], [[Don Sebesky]], [[Kit Chan]], [[Bill Meyers]], [[Gianni Bella]], [[Glenn Jones]] and [[Tower of Power]].

==Musical career== Gino and Joe moved to [[Los Angeles]] in 1972. Desperate and broke, they waited for hours in the parking lot outside [[A&M Studios]], hoping to get a record deal. When [[Herb Alpert]], the co-owner of [[A&M Records]], finally emerged, Vannelli ran towards him and gave him a demo tape while being chased by security guards.<ref name="Valcourt">{{cite web|last1=Valcourt|first1=Keith|title=Gino Vannelli, singer of hit 'I Just Wanna Stop' on new live album and DVD|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/20/gino-vannelli-singer-hit-i-just-wanna-stop-new-liv/|website=The Washington Times|accessdate=1 May 2017|date=20 December 2016}}</ref> Alpert signed Vannelli and released his debut album, ''Crazy Life'', in the summer of 1973.<ref name="Nowlin">{{cite web|last1=Nowlin|first1=Rick|title=Gino Vannelli says fans keep him moving forward|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2014/05/20/Gino-Vannelli-says-fans-keep-him-moving/stories/201405200019|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|accessdate=1 May 2017|date=19 May 2014}}</ref> [[File:Gino Vannelli Pulitzer Amsterdam, 1977 - 19.jpg|thumb|Gino and Joe Vannelli in Amsterdam, 1977]] For most of Gino's career, Joe was his keyboard player and arranger. In the early 70's Joe would overdub most of the multiple keyboard parts. This was a time when polyphonic synthesizers weren't around.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox Canada Magazine]] |date=April 2, 2014 |url=http://www.cashboxcanada.ca/4947/proudly-canadian-gino-vannelli |title=Proudly Canadian: Gino Vannelli |issn=0008-7289 |access-date=December 29, 2014 |archive-date=December 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229120201/http://www.cashboxcanada.ca/4947/proudly-canadian-gino-vannelli |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Along with Gino, he co produced the 1986 Chronology album for [[David Meece]] which was released on [[Myrrh Records]] and co wrote "Seventy Times Seven" and "Come That Day".<ref>{{Discogs release|4373761|David Meece – Chronology|type=album}}</ref> Vannelli and [[Burton Cummings]] co-produced Cummings's 2008 album ''[[Above the Ground]]'' which was the first album release for Cummings in approximately 18 years.<ref>{{cite web |website=[[Historica Canada]] |url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/burton-cummings/ |title=Burton Cummings Biography |accessdate=April 19, 2017}}</ref>

In 2007 he co-produced ''[[Find Your Own Way Home]]'' for REO Speedwagon.

In 2009 he produced ''[[Not So Silent Night...Christmas with REO Speedwagon]]'' for REO Speedwagon.<ref>{{cite web |website=[[IGN]] |date=December 2, 2009 |url=http://ign.com/articles/2009/12/02/reo-speedwagon-releases-first-of-its-kind-rock-music-video-game |title=REO Speedwagon Releases First-of-its-Kind Rock Music Video Game}}</ref>

Vannelli has won six [[Juno Award]]s and was nominated for several [[Grammy Awards]], including one for best arrangement.<ref name="gennet">{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Keyboard (magazine)|Keyboard]] |date=May 3, 2012 |title=An Afternoon With Joe Vannelli |first1=Robbie |last1=Gennet |first2=Fernando |last2=Perdomo |issn=0730-0158}}</ref> One Juno award was for Recording Engineer of the Year. This was shared with his other brother Ross for "[[Black Cars]]" that appeared on Gino Vannelli's album of the same name.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=October 12, 1985 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Joe+Vannelli+Black+Cars+Juno+Award&pg=PT100 |title=Canada International: Adams, Hart, Gowan Grab More Juno Nominations |first=Kirk |last=LaPointe |page=71 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Examiner |date=November 11, 2012 |title=Exclusive Interview with international superstar Gino Vannelli |first=Ray |last=Shasho |url=http://www.classicrockmusicwriter.com/2012/11/exclusive-interview-with-international.html}}</ref><ref name="wolf">{{cite news |newspaper=The Algoma News |date=June 16, 2010 |title=Gino Vannelli |first=Ronald |last=Wolf}}</ref> The following year more awards came for "[[Wild Horses (Gino Vannelli song)|Wild Horses]]" and "Young Lover".<ref name="wolf"/>

Today, Joe Vannelli has a studio in Agoura Hills, California called Blue Moon Studios.<ref name="gennet"/>

==Selected discography== '''As Producer'''

'''With [[Tower of Power]]'''

• It's Christmas<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's Christmas |url=https://towerofpower.com/itschristmas |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Tower of Power |language=en-US}}</ref> (2023), Tower of Power Records

• It's Christmas, 7" Single (2023), Tower of Power Records

• Tower of Power 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater<ref>{{Cite web |title=50 Years of Funk & Soul |url=https://towerofpower.com/50-years |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Tower of Power |language=en-US}}</ref> (2021), Mack Avenue Music Group

• Step Up <ref>{{Cite web |title=Step Up |url=https://towerofpower.com/step-up |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Tower of Power |language=en-US}}</ref>(2020), Mack Avenue Music Group

• Soul Side of Town<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soul Side of Town |url=https://towerofpower.com/soul-side-of-town |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Tower of Power |language=en-US}}</ref> (2018), Mack Avenue Music Group

===As sideman=== '''With [[Tower of Power]]'''

• It's Christmas (2023), acoustic keyboards, electric piano, synthesizers

'''With [[Jimmy Haslip]]''' *''Red Heat'' (2000) *''Nightfall'' (Vie Records, 2010)<ref>{{Discogs release|3383930|Jimmy Haslip featuring Joe Vannelli – Nightfall|type=album}}</ref>

'''With [[Alessandro Bertozzi]]''' *''Talkin'back'' (2003)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Allmusic |class=artist |id=joe-vannelli-mn0000213430}} *{{Discogs artist|341447-Joe-Vannelli}} * {{imdb name|0889226}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vannelli, Joe}} [[Category:1950 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Canadian composers]] [[Category:20th-century Canadian male composers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian composers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian male composers]] [[Category:Anglophone Quebec people]] [[Category:Canadian expatriate musicians in the United States]] [[Category:Canadian people of Italian descent]] [[Category:Canadian record producers]] [[Category:Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award winners]] [[Category:Juno Award for Recording Engineer of the Year winners]] [[Category:Musicians from Montreal]]