The brothers werent satisfied to rest on their laurels and would release duet and solo albums to keep the flame alive. Johnny Farina Santo Farina Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll duo from Brooklyn, New York. I've written a movie script and a soundtrack for it, just shopping it around. I'm still here! Sleep Walk has been in over 28 movies, including La Bamba the day the music NOW Sleep Walk celebrates its 60th Anniversary and is stronger than ever, with its latest use being in Martin Scorseses The Irishman. When I make that stroke, I wouldnt think about it, I would just do it. The Genius Of Below the Lights by Enslaved. the Amazon Associates Program via amazon.com. What are you waiting for. What I noticed about them, they had a lot of speed. where steel players meet online. Thats what I got from that, when people ask how I wrote the song. What is your favorite cover of "Sleep Walk"? 911 followers. The Farina brothers, Santo & Johnny, were born in Brooklyn, New York. The Farina brothers began to gather fans from Brooklyn to Long Island. Johnny Farina: Yeah, it was called Sleepwalkers. 1 in 1959 and remains one of the most iconic songs of all-time. Santo would play steel guitar with Johnny accompanying him on traditional six-string, and that tape deck enabled the brothers to keep track of their compositions. Its going to be a good show and Rocky has a great band., Here is how Santo and Johnny looked playing Sleep Walk on the Dick Clark nighttime show. I dont know if you ever heard of him. My first meeting, when I brought a demo of Sleep Walk around, and found someone to finally listen to it, and he really thought it was a great record and would be a big hit. I never thought about a number one record. By 1960 Id been playing guitar for about four years, and I learned Sleep Walkby ear from listening to the radio and I continued to perform it through my teenage years playing the club circuit.. WayOutWardell, Jun 8, 2016 #1 george nadara Forum Resident Location: USA "Sleepwalk," the #1 hit with Santo playing steel guitar and brother Johnny on electric guitar. He said, Well, listen. All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Affiliate programs and Johnny Farina: I think its easy to play. Johnny Farina currently operates the official Santo And Johnny worldwide website, which includes current tour dates, discography, biography, trivia and new merchandise Farina also currently operates the official Johnny MySpace page, which includes current tour dates, discography, biography, and audio samples from his new solo albums. The best time of my career is when I heard Sleep Walk on the radio for the first time. I wanted to get it to, at the time, Pavarotti. It has been also covered by The Shadows, Stray Cats, The Ventures, Jake Shimabukuro, Amos Garrett, Kenny Vance and the Planotones, Larry Carlton, Deftones, Chet Atkins, Danny Gatton, Leo Kottke, The Sir Douglas Quintet, Jonathan Richman, Larry Berwald, and Joe Satriani. All rights reserved. It was the last #1 instrumental of the 50's and earned them a Gold Record. Hed wait. He did his feel to it and he captured a different painting, the way he did it. Their first release, "Sleep Walk", was credited as being composed by the two brothers plus Santo's wife, Ann,[8] although Johnny later said that her name was put on by mistake. The steel guitarist of the duo, Johnny Farina keeps the retro guitar vibe of Santo & Johnny alive and well with his 2006 solo CD Pure Steel Vol. A Village of Tamarind Grove resident, in a Letter to the Editor, contends Florida needs driving tests which are more stringent for senior citizens. Hanging proudly on his wall, Johnny has 2 Gold Records, one for "Sleep Walk" and on for "The Godfather". It has been covered multiple times by such artists as Jeff Beck, Chet Atkins, Joe Satriani, Les Paul, the Ventures, Brian Setzer and Larry Carlton. The Big Review: Blackstar Amped 3 Has Blackstar finally hit amp pedal perfection? Report an Issue | Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Santo and Johnny are known best for. Country and Western stars and musicians of the South Pacific held their ground with the same instrument combination. The Beatles, especially George Harrison, were big fans of Sleep Walk. Harrison once released a song called Marwa Blues which was influenced by Sleep Walk. A John Lennon song, Free As A Bird, also bears resemblance to the soft, slide steel guitar sound of Farinas record. This trio appeared at local dances and parties, performing both original compositions and some Hawaiian standards. (Born in October 1937.) Not playing on it, but playing in it. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. Heres a man who came from Italy when he was nine. The brothers soon formed a duo and became rather popular in school, eventually performing at events in the New York boroughs. The first time it impacted me was as a 12-year-old attending local dances like all kids did. Johnny Farina: Ironically, when I was a kid, I never forgot that my father bought us a guitar, a steel guitar. It was in a movie called All I Want for Christmas, with Cher, A Smile Like Yours, The Locust, Mermaids. We have estimated Sleep Walkhas twice had an impact on my life, says Larry Carlton the session legend would go on to be heavily associated with the song, having recorded a hugely popular version of it himself in the 80s. I call it my Christmas feel. Im not saying that the notes are wrong. For more information and to purchase tickets, head here. I have no problem with that. And he was a nice man. Santo & Johnny were now International artists. Sleep Walk has been a hugely enduring song, and over 100 artists have covered it over the years, including Chet Atkins, The Ventures, Les Paul, Danny Gatton, Hank Marvin, Brian Setzer and Jeff Beck. He said no. The popularity of the song and of these guitar-playing brothers soon caught the eye of Fender, who featured the Farina brothers on the front covers of their catalogues with Jazzmaster and Stringmaster steel guitars in their hands. Rick: A lot of people didn't do that. They were in their late 80s. Sleep Walk reached #1 on the charts and earned them a Gold Record. Yeah, I do remember that.. SLEEP WALK was the last (number 1) intrumental of the 50;s and earned them a Gold Record. His name was Eddie Bell. Johnny apparently has a Website, santoandjohnny.com, but there seems to be scant mention of Santo (by name) on there, including the "bio" page. The song can also be heard in "Eddie and the Cruisers" as well as in the film "Hearts in Atlantis" starring Anthony Hopkins. How has the music industry changed over the years? I know how to do other things. I hope people start to get back into songs that have strong melodies, and great chord changes. Rick:When I was listening to Sleep Walk yesterday I know that its been in several movie scores it caught my attention that the song can be either very romantic and the same song can also be very haunting. I was producing an artist for Lorimar Records, and the vice president Jay Levy was hanging out at my studio, Carlton continues. Tony had been in the Army, and heard steel guitar music. It could be anything. Turn on your computer and see whats on the screen. He sent me a picture of him and me hugging. Its still gonna stand. Johnny Farina: I dont think so. Somehow the future of music seems to be in a total different direction where the melody is very hard to find. Their father was drafted into the Army while they were children and was stationed for some time in Oklahoma. There on the radio he heard this beautiful music, it was the sound of the steel guitar. Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Father bought us a six-string Gibson lap steel along with a small Gibson amplifier so we took a few lessons then started to learn and write our own songs too. The Steel Guitar Forum. 1, he said. During that time he was stationed in Texas and Oklahoma. I really enjoyed this interview. Robert. Which is the most interesting period in your life? Rick: In trying to cover a classic, its really difficult to get the feel of the original, I think, in many cases. 13 talking about this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rwfqsjimRM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6nPJcvJ3vQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODIvONHPqpk. Johnny Farina: Because Sleep Walk can actually be for any timeit was written in one of the newspapers when Celine Dion sang the song from Titanic, you visualize the ship going down. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? I havent been touched by anybody. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Santo and I were on the road and when we came back to the office a lot of times we would stop at the office instead of going home we would see what was going on with our manager. By continuing to use our site, you are agreeing to our cookie privacy policy. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. Posts Tagged. I cant wait to get back to Florida, I havent been there for 10 years, Farina said. He told us: that song will last forever. They even ended up with their own TV show in Italy and went on to earn another gold record for their version of the theme from the movie The Godfather. I hear a lot of steel guys playing it and they just play it. 62 years ago, guitar players around the world were mesmerised by the new sound coming from a New York duo Sleep Walk by Santo & Johnny. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. Rick: The song came out in 59, right? Its been in at least 30 movies. It was their first proper recording, but full of youthful confidence, Johnny set off to New Yorks famous Brill Building to hawk the tune to the composers and lyricists that made the building famous. For those who don't know, Peter Green was inspired by this tune to write his worldwide it "ALBATROSS". You dont remember me from last night? [Both Laughing]. Santo, October 24, 1937 and Johnny, April 30, 1941. As their popularity grew locally they recorded a couple of demo tapes. He also named the album Sleep Walk, and had a successful jazz album with it. We wrote and recorded so many songs. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The Lettermen sang it on one of their early albums. Johnny Farina plays Savannah Center Thursday with Rocky and the Rollers. Johnny Farina: Its like anything else. Theres not much more for me to learn, I want to be a rock star. He is from USA. Hohnny of Santo & Johnny keep his magical steel guitar sound alive performing as a solo artist throughout the country. Sleep Walk has been recorded by over 100 artists. I would look at him and always thought of him as, I know he was getting up there in age, but he always played. Wed love to stay in touch, sign up for The Pick team to contact you with great news, content and offers. I saw that and I told my brother, Some day were going to have our pictures up on a sign like that. It features Rocky and the Rollers along with: Joey Dee (Peppermint Twist); Ron Dante of the Archies (Sugar Sugar), John Claude Gummoe from The Cascades (Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain) and Henry Gross, an original member of Sha Na Na. There are several covers of Sleep Walk by rock groups. Santo and Johnny Farina are brothers. They received a Gold Record for it in Italy and were inducted into the Hall of Fame in Italy as well.Santo & Johnnywere nowInternational artists. Do you believe in the existence of real music nowadays? This allowed him to experiment even further, and he tried different tunings until he found ones that appealed to him.When Johnny reached the age of twelve, he began to play accompaniment to Santo on a standard electric guitar. 2004-2022 Guitar International Group, LLC. He would always hold the note and he would never sing like right on the beat. Thats one movie that Ill never forget how it was used. (10 years ago), Robert You can e-mail Johnny at: zzzwalk@optonline.net Best Regards, Rick. At the beginning of our conversation, I asked if hed ever met Les Paul, who had covered Sleep Walk and our conversation turned to the interview. Brian Setzer won a Grammy for his big band version of Sleep Walk,and he took it in a totally different direction. Santo and Johnny are inductees into the Italy Music Hall of Fame and the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. "Sleep Walk" continues to be popular due to consistent radio airplay as well as its usage for commercials, television programs, and movies. The Farina brothers, Santo & Johnny, were born in Brooklyn, New York. During the conversation, he said, When youre tickets up, youre tickets up. I laughed at that, and he looked at me and said, Thats not funny. Then he just looked at me. Ive been playing since I was about nine. Some music diminishes over time and fades away as new sounds and trends emerge that capture new generations with faddish sound effects, speed or unheard of complexity. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the release of Sleep Walk, the classic steel guitar instrumental from Brooklyn brothers Santo and Johnny Farina, who recorded under the name Santo & Johnny. (Photo: Johnny and Bo Diddley). He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name. While Santo & Johnny wrote lyrics for "Sleep Walk", they never recorded a lyrical version, but Betsy Brye's version included these lyrics. They looked for souvenirs, and stole the hubcaps off my fathers 51 Buick. In no time, TV shows clamoured for their appearances as Santo and Johnny became stars on American Bandstandand The Perry Como Show. Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny (Two brothers from Brooklyn). I would have to say Larry Carlton is my favorite cover of Sleep Walk. In celebration of the song's 60th anniversary, Johnny Farina is performing a special show at New York City's the Cutting Room on April 20. Until, Sleep Walk, the steel guitar was mostly used in country music, and some blues. Johnny Farina: Out of all the people who sang it, she captured it. I like Larry Carlton's version of Sleep Walk, as his version took it to a bluesy jazz style, but kept the feel of the song. Heres how it works. Santo and Johnny Farina were the 45th induction into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2002. 'Sleep Walk' never became an . They are known best for their instrumental melody "Sleep Walk", one of the biggest hits of the golden age of rock 'n' roll, which became a regional success and eventually scored the top of the Billboard pop chart when it was released nationally during 1959. They worked these 14 years playing clubs and casinos all over Europe. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. I believed in that song, Johnny, who will appear in The Villages on Thursday, said in a recent telephone interview. Was that out of the blue? Its like so many people when I hear them singing a song, either they have it or they dont have it. Playing the steel is like singing. It was kind of early and I said, Whos this? The guy said, This is Les. I said, Les who? He said, What the hells the matter with you? Johnny Farina was 16, when he and his brother, Santo, released the all-time classic instrumental, "Sleep Walk." The two brothers wrote it one night, when they couldn't sleep after playing a gig, and started jamming. We have a different style of playing and phrasing developed through years of playing the steel guitar, an instrument that was primarily used for country and Hawaiian music, mostly in the background, until Santo and I brought it into Rock n' Roll in the 50s in our own style as the lead instrument. Guitar International Magazine [2] Its a small musical miracle that emotionally resonates to this day. Its also the song that inspired Peter Green to compose his masterwork, Albatross, and John Lennon to write Free As A Bird. The whole chord structure is changed and everything. There have also been so many covers of Sleep Walk, from artists ranging from Brian Setzer to Eric Clapton to Jeff Beck. Its so special to me, because Sleep Walk became my life, and to know it was never an oldie, or doo-wop, and can connect with any time. Sleep Walk brought them to Europe. He had that feel about him. It was one of those tunes you could dance to real slowly with your girlfriend, he laughs. Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll music duo from Brooklyn, New York, comprising brothers Santo and Johnny Farina.They are known best for their in. I thought hed taken offense, then he laughed. My first manager said, Always be early and prepared to give a great performance, no matter what the conditions are, and never leave the venue until after the performance. Johnny Farina: Yes, I believe that very strongly. My first manager said, Always be early and prepared to give a great performance, no matter what the conditions are, and never leave the venue until after the performance. Its like play it or PLAY it. Discover Johnny Farina's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Santo & Johnny were inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2002. But, it can be used for any time. "Deep Sleep" became "Sleep Walk" and in September 1959 it topped the American charts. Do you recall what guitar you used on the recording? I apparently can't post links yet, but that page tells how their father, in the Army at the time, wanted the boys to learn how to play steel. I spoke with Johnny about the song, The Beatles, Carlos Santana, and other things musical, just before he was headed out to the U.K. for a gig. In a Letter to the Editor, a Bushnell resident writes that The Villages and its residents could care less about the locals in Sumter County. The Strange Dave Show made me laugh. Their first release, "Sleep Walk", was composed by the two brothers. When I play, I like to hold off of those notes as long as possible. The boys were young when their Dad was drafted into the Army and stationed in Oklahoma. I saw on FB confirmed by family that Santo Farina has passed away at 77. But, when I hear the 1959 Santo and Johnny Farina #1 hit instrumental, Sleep Walk, it always stops me in my tracks. Gary James' Interview With Johnny Farina Of Santo And Johnny Their song, an instrumental song called "Sleep Walk" spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard charts in September, 1959. [4][5] To move off into a slightly different direction, would you say the song is easy to play but its not necessarily easy to play well? God gave my brother and I a special gift, he reflects. LARRY CARLTON/JOHNNY FARINA (September 2012). Ill just try to remember some of the movies that go from one end of the spectrum to the other, like Eddie and the Cruisers or from a 50s movie to a futuristic like 12 Monkeys. Its been documented that when American DJ Alan Freed heard Sleep Walk for the first time he supposedly said this song is never going to die, and he was right. Still touring and keeping Sleep Walk alive! He owned Trinity Music and became our manager. Johnny Farina was 16, when he and his brother, Santo, released the all-time classic instrumental, Sleep Walk. We signed to Trinity Music and part of the deal was that they would get the publishing. They didnt try to copy the original. Dad was in the army and he heard what he thought was Hawaiian or steel guitars on the radio and loved that sound, Johnny says, So he wrote home to our mother saying hed like the boys to learn to play. 2023 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks. But when it was the two of us, Santo played steel and I played a Gretsch or Fender six-string.. Which was the best and worst moment of your career? Santo, October 24, 1937 and Johnny, April 30, 1941. Alvino Rey, and my father was also inspired by the background players of Hank Williams. Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny. We recorded The Godfather because of the excitement of such a film coming out, knowing it would be such a success, and then hearing the theme, it was just a great piece of music to record. Next thing you know, Sleep Walk, went to No. But, there are people that did different versions, like Larry Carlton. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! 8 talking about this. The song is played at the start and also near the end of the film, during a funeral for Valens. Hailing from Brooklyn, the Farina brothers made 30+ albums before disbanding in the late '70s. Lets talk a little bit about your background. Johnny Farina Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. People kept sending little notes back to his dressing room. I think theres such magic in music. What do you miss most nowadays from the past? I was 16 and my brother was 19. I was never a fast player. Upon its original release, the song hit Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the brothers a gold record award. They play it note for note. Its finished. But, when I hear the 1959 Santo and Johnny Farina #1 hit instrumental, "Sleep Walk", it always stops me in my tracks. I think they were thinking that its a big instrumental. When it became a monster smash, the family had to move out of Brooklyn. "Sleep Walk" continues to be popular due to consistent radio airplay as well as its usage in commercials, television shows, and movies. Great interview/er. The feel, they dont have it. It took us over a year to get Sleep Walk, recorded., The song took off, Johnny said, after famed DJ Alan Freed started playing it in New York City. It was he who suggested I recorded a cover of Sleep Walk. They had recorded and released over 40 albums worldwide. A version by Brian Setzer received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1998. As Im speaking to you, Im looking through my files. Id get the brush and just dip it in the paint. Rick:I hadnt realized until yesterday really that Sleep Walk actually had lyrics. For me, the most important thing is the music. Santo Farina 1959 What tuning did santo farina use on sleepwalk? Diana Ross actually sang it. The song changed his life in many ways. They are best known for their instrumental "Sleep Walk", which became a regional hit and eventually reached the top of the Billboard pop chart when it was released nationally in 1959. Why not cover it with a vocal and get really good mileage out of it? It remains one of the biggest hits from rock n rolls golden era, and its no exaggeration to say that it changed the perception of instrumental music. We stopped there on one of our trips and he said, Oh, listen. Johnny is also the president of Aniraf, Inc., an international record company based in New York City. He was four years older than me. I am german and italian (sicilian). Our first record session, when we recorded Sleep Walk. That was the same year that Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens passed away? Sgt. I love reading about the inspiration of instrumental songs. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, I have a group of movies that Sleep Walk was actually used in. I recorded this at The Cutting Room June 8 2013 (NYC). People are more educated today. April 30, 1941 - Rock and roller Johnny Farina (of Santo and Johnny) was born "John Steven Farina" in Brooklyn, New York. Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll instrumental duo of Italian descent[1] from Brooklyn, New York, composed of brothers Santo Farina (born October 24, 1937) and Johnny Farina (born April 30, 1941). Johnny Farina: Actually, I have a list of movies that you would not believe. Rick: Sometimes the silence between notes is as important as the notes. He was like a crackerjack. They recorded a demo which they circulated to local New York record companies.In 1958, Mike Dee & The Mello Tones (Santo Farina, steel guitar; Johnny Farina, guitar and their uncle Mike Dee, drums) recorded a self-penned instrumental which they called "Deep Sleep". I hear a lot of musicians that play it. I just knew that we were going to be famous. Once this was discovered, many postings were retracted, citing the misunderstanding and emphasizing that the steel guitarist is indeed still alive although his whereabouts are currently unknown. Accept. If Johnny is still alive, there could be children, even grandchildren. Robert. It was a natural thing. [9] We lived in an Italian neighborhood. What are the secrets of sound of the steel guitar? Santo & Johnny "Sleep Walk" Watch on R.I.P. What are your hopes and fears for the future of music? Sleep Walk also keeps popping up in movies, and has been used in about 40 films, Farina said. They put the 45 on and its Betsy Brice singing Sleep Walk. Youre right, the first part. Facebook Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny (Two brothers from Brooklyn) Sleep Walk hit the airwaves in 1959, and added a new sound to Rock 'n' Roll, a steel guitar as the lead instrument, unheard of at that time, an instrument associated with country and Hawaiian music used in the background. The second part, to play well, it has a feel to it. Still writing, performing, and running my publishing company. In 1973, Santo & Johnny recorded the theme to the movie The Godfather, which went to #1 in Italy and stayed at that spot for 21 weeks. Its been in so, so many movies. "[7] The song was "Sleep Walk" and during September 1959 it scored at the top of the American charts. "Sleep Walk" entered Billboard's 'Top 40' on August 17, 1959. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. It was only my fathers insight. Some are: Brian Setzer, Larry Carlton, Deftones, Jeff Beck, Danny Gatton, James Burton, Joe Satriani, The Ventures, Modest Mouse, Chet Atkins, Robby Krieger, Al Caiola, Les Paul, The Supremes, Renee Olstead, Eric Clapton, Al Kooper & Carlos Santana, Some artists inspired by Sleep Walk: John Lennon was inspired by Sleep Walk to write Free As a Bird. But with Sleep Walk, it could be La Bamba or Eddie and the Cruisers. So he bought one for his sons, along with a tape recorder. Facebook, 2023 Created by Michael Limnios Blues Network. Years ago, I actually did a version of Sleep Walk operatic style. They also had their own TV Show in Italy. Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll duo from Brooklyn, New York. At that time they had the Camel cigarette billboard. In 2002 Santo & Johnny were inducted into the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. When Sleep Walk was a hit, we were only kids. The song sleepwalk artist? Help Search Join Private Messages Log in Search Join Private Messages Log in Remember in 1929 you were on the running board of a Model T Ford and you had a stop clock in your hand and you wanted to see who had the faster car? He said, You know, Johnny, I remember that day. Tim Kring's 'Heroes' which aired on NBC also featured "Sleep Walk" playing on a record in a diner, from the episode '1961'.Santo & Johnny were inducted into The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2002. The worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. It rose to the No. "Sleep Walk" was recorded at Trinity Records in Manhattan. Johnny Farina: No, a lot of people when they signed, they also signed that into effect, that there's no renewal that will apply to them. One day Johnny decided to try a music publishing company and there is where the history of "Sleep Walk" started, they signed a song writer's contracts which later on lead them to Canadian American Records. He had a good ear. They are best known for their instrumental "Sleep Walk", which became a regional hit and eventually reached the top of the Billboard pop chart when it was released nationally in 1959.At present, Santo is semi-retired and Johnny tours and records new material with his own band. 1 position for two weeks during September 1959,[3] and earned a Gold record for Santo & Johnny. I'm always looking for new interesting projects, and to do more shows than I'm doing. Johnny Farina's net worth Thats the feeling I have with Sleep Walk. More than six decades after its release, the enduring popularity of Sleep Walkis remarkable, especially given that it was the pairs only top 10 hit, but Johnnys take on their lightning in a bottle moment is typically humble.
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