Born 90 Years Ago Today in California, the Wrecking Crew Guitarist Who Helped Shape Hits for Nancy Sinatra, the Beach Boys, and Glen Campbell
Al Casey, born in California on 26 October 1936, became a sought-after session guitarist whose playing helped shape recordings by major artists. His move from the Phoenix club scene to Los Angeles made him part of the Wrecking Crew, the influential group of studio musicians behind many popular records.
Casey began on ukulele at six because his hands were too small for guitar, then took up steel guitar and was playing Phoenix clubs six nights a week by 14. He played on more than 90% of Phoenix recording sessions in 1958, according to the Arizona Republic, before moving to Los Angeles in 1965 and spending 18 years as a session musician. His credits include the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and “Good Vibrations”, as well as recordings by Nancy Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
In short
- Al Casey was born 90 years ago in California.
- He became a member of Los Angeles’s Wrecking Crew.
- His credits include Pet Sounds and “Good Vibrations”.
Explained simply
The Wrecking Crew was a group of Los Angeles session musicians hired to play on records by singers and bands. Session musicians often worked behind the scenes, recording parts that became part of the finished song, while the featured artist remained its public face.
Al Casey was a guitarist who moved from Phoenix to Los Angeles and joined this studio scene. His work included recordings by the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra and Glen Campbell, among other artists.
Session players helped create the sound of many popular records across different artists and styles. Their contributions show how a hit could depend on musicians who were not named as its main performers.