Felix Albert Pappalardi Jr. (December 30, 1939 – April 17, 1983) was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bassist. He is best known as the bassist and co-lead vocalist of the band Mountain, whose song "Mississippi Queen" peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a classic rock radio staple.
Originating in the eclectic music scene in New York's Greenwich Village, he became closely attached to the British power trio Cream, writing, arranging, and producing for their second album Disraeli Gears. As a producer for Atlantic Records, he worked on several projects with guitarist Leslie West; in 1969 their partnership evolved into the band Mountain. The band's original run lasted less than five years, but their work influenced the first generation of heavy metal and hard rock music. Pappalardi continued to work as a producer, session musician, and songwriter until he was shot and killed by his wife Gail Collins in 1983.
Early life
Pappalardi was born in the Bronx, New York City,
Career
thumb|Pappalardi in 1968
In 1964, Pappalardi was a member of Max Morath's Original Rag Quartet (ORQ) in their premier engagement at New York City's Village Vanguard. Along with Pappalardi on guitarrón (Mexican acoustic bass) were pianist-singer Morath, who revived classic ragtime played in the Scott Joplin manner, Barry Kornfeld, a New York studio folk and jazz guitarist, and Jim Tyler, a Baroque and Renaissance lutenist, playing four-string banjo and mandolin. The ORQ toured the college and concert circuit, opening four engagements with the Dinah Shore show in Las Vegas and elsewhere. Pappalardi studied classical music at the University of Michigan. Upon completing his studies and returning to New York, he was unable to find work and so became part of the Greenwich Village folk-music scene, where he made a name for himself as an arranger; he appeared on albums by Tom Paxton, Vince Martin and Fred Neil for Elektra Records. Thereafter he moved into record production, initially concentrating on folk and folk-rock acts for artists such as The Youngbloods and Joan Baez.
As a producer, Pappalardi is perhaps best known for his work with Cream, beginning with their second album, Disraeli Gears. but this proved to be false.
He produced The Dead Boys album We Have Come for Your Children in 1978.
He also worked on the NBC show Hot Hero Sandwich in 1979.
Pappalardi was shot and killed by his wife, Gail Collins Pappalardi, on April 17, 1983,
He is interred next to his mother at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York City.
- 1971: Mountain – Nantucket Sleighride
- 1971: Mountain – Flowers of Evil
- 1972: Mountain – Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On
- 1973: Bedlam – Bedlam (Francesco Aiello/Dave Ball/Denny Ball/Cozy Powell)
- 1974: Mountain – Twin Peaks
- 1974: Mountain – Avalanche
- 1974: Back Door – 8th St. Nites
- 1975: White Lightnin' – White Lightnin' (Donald Kinsey/Busta Cherry Jones/Woody Kinsey)
- 1975: The Flock – Inside Out
- 1976: Natural Gas – Natural Gas
- 1977: Gasolin' – Killin' Time
- 1977: Jesse Colin Young – Love on the Wing
- 1977: Corky Laing – The Secret Sessions with Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson (finally released in 1999)
- 1978: The Dead Boys – We Have Come for Your Children
- 1978: Hot Tuna – Double Dose
- 1981: Kicks – Kicks featuring Marge Raymond (Recorded at RPM Studios, New York)
- 1982: George Flowers and Gary Byrd – The Day That Football Died
Other appearances and contributions
- 1963: Vince Martin and Fred Neil – Tear Down the Walls – guitarrón and backing vocals
- 1964: Tom Paxton – Ramblin' Boy – guitarrón
- 1965: Tom Paxton – Ain't That News! – guitarrón
- 1966: Buffy Sainte-Marie – Little Wheel Spin and Spin – credited as "instrumental ensemble arranger and conductor" on "Timeless Love"
- 1966: Ian and Sylvia – Play One More – bass
- 1966: Ian and Sylvia – The French Girl – credited as "arr. and conducted"
- 1966: Ian and Sylvia – When I Was A Cowboy – bass
- 1966: Ian and Sylvia – Short Grass – bass
- 1966: Ian and Sylvia – Lonely Girls – bass
- 1967: Devil's Anvil – Hard Rock From the Middle East – bass, guitar, tambura, percussion and vocals, credited as "arranger and musical director"
- 1967: Richie Havens – Morning, Morning – credited as "arranger'
- 1967: Jackie Washington [Landrón] – Morning Song – credited as "backup ensemble conductor'
- 1968: Bo Grumpus – Before the War – keyboards, trumpet, bass, guitar, percussion, ocarina
- 1968: Kensington Market – Avenue Road – vocals on "Aunt Violet's Knee"
- 1969: Kensington Market – Aardvark – bass, piano, trumpet, organ
- 1969: Jolliver Arkansaw – Home – keyboards, guitar, ocarina and bass on "Hatred Sun"
- 1970: Ian and Sylvia – Greatest Hits – bass
- 1970: Fred Neil – Little Bit of Rain – bass
- 1971: John Sebastian – The Four of Us – bass on "Apple Hill"
- 1971: Richard & Mimi Fariña – The Best of Richard & Mimi Fariña – bass
- 1973: Bedlam – Bedlam – keyboards, credited as songwriter on "Looking Through Love's Eyes (Busy Dreamin')"
- 1973: Eddie Mottau – No Turning Around – Mellotron, organ, ocarina and trumpet on "Circus Tent" and "Waitin' Out The Winter"
- 1975: The Flock – Inside Out – backing vocals on "Straight Home"
- 1977: Jesse Colin Young – Love on the Wing – backing vocals and string arrangements on "Drift Away" and "Fool", horn arrangements on "Louisiana Highway"
- 1981: Kicks – "Kicks featuring Marge Raymond" – backing vocals on "Raceway" and "All Over Again" along with Steven Tyler