Uploaded July 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
MFF : The first CD that was pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteen's album "Born in the USA". ▼▼▼
DON COSTA
Arranger/producer Don Costa's catalog of work is sprinkled with names like Paul Anka, Sammy Davis, Jr. , Frank Sinatra, James Darren, Eddy Arnold, Vic Damone, Donny Osmond Marv Johnson, Trini Lopez ("If I Had a Hammer"), Kenny Rankin (The Kenny Rankin Album), Lloyd Price among many others.
As a child, he took a keen interest in learning the guitar, and he became a member of the CBS Radio Orchestra by the time he was in his teens. In the late 1940s, Costa moved to New York to further his career by becoming a session musician. He played guitar along with Bucky Pizzarelli on Vaughn Monroe's hit record "Ghost Riders in the Sky." It was around this time that Costa started experimenting with combinations of instruments, producing musical arrangements, and peddling them to a few notable big bands.
It was this self-promotion that caused two young up and coming singers to notice his work. Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme invited Costa to write some vocal backgrounds for their future recordings. He agreed, and thus began an association that led to their joining a new record label being headed by Sam Clark as president: ABC-Paramount Records. It was here that Costa accepted the position of head A&R man as well as chief arranger and producer. Many hits were to follow, not only with Lawrence and Gorme, but with Lloyd Price, George Hamilton IV, and Paul Anka. Apart from his arranging skills, Costa was an excellent guitarist and during the period 1956 - 1957 he released two 45s on ABC-Paramount using the alias Guitar 'Muvva' Hubbard, the first an R&B styled instrumental 'Ponytail' which he also wrote, as well as a cover version of Bill Justis' hit record, 'Raunchy'.
He was voted number one in Cash Box as the most popular recording arranger and conductor. It was at this time in late 1959 that Costa, along with Lawrence and Gorme, left ABC to join the United Artists label as A&R Director. Costa continued to produce and arrange for others as well as release his own instrumental albums.
Costa found several of his own instrumental recordings becoming hits, including the theme tunes from Never on Sunday and The Unforgiven. "Never on Sunday" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
In the mid-1960s, Costa moved from New York to Hollywood, California, and formed his own company, DCP International, through United Artists. His label had great success by reviving the career of popular 1950s act, Little Anthony and the Imperials. Working with producer-writer Teddy Randazzo, Little Anthony had a string of major hits including "Goin' Out Of My Head" and "Hurt So Bad". In 1963, Costa discovered Trini Lopez working at "PJ's", a Hollywood nightclub. Later in the decade, Sinatra again called on Costa to become his primary arranger and Costa's work with Lawrence and Gorme abated. During this period, Sinatra scored one of his biggest hits, the Paul Anka composed tune "My Way".
DID YOU KNOW ?
Though the song was written in 1937 already, it had it's biggest successes some 20 years later (1956) when both the orchestras of Nelson Riddle ( in the US) and Franck Chacksfield (in the UK )- scored a major chart hit with this Portuguese song.
MHO
A magnificent arrangement of the famous Portuguese classic with Don Costa and his Orchestra in very good shape. The pizzicato strings suit the melody quite well and Costa brings the song to full development, using lots of different instruments to balance the strings in the counter melody and in other parts of the tune.
One sure notices "the hand of the maestro" in this particular arrangement and it comes as no surprise that Don Costa was the "top of the bill choice" for numerous famous vocalists (see above) when it came to hiring a first class arranger.
Enjoy !
MFF : The first CD that was pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteen's album "Born in the USA". ▼▼▼
DON COSTA
Arranger/producer Don Costa's catalog of work is sprinkled with names like Paul Anka, Sammy Davis, Jr. , Frank Sinatra, James Darren, Eddy Arnold, Vic Damone, Donny Osmond Marv Johnson, Trini Lopez ("If I Had a Hammer"), Kenny Rankin (The Kenny Rankin Album), Lloyd Price among many others.
As a child, he took a keen interest in learning the guitar, and he became a member of the CBS Radio Orchestra by the time he was in his teens. In the late 1940s, Costa moved to New York to further his career by becoming a session musician. He played guitar along with Bucky Pizzarelli on Vaughn Monroe's hit record "Ghost Riders in the Sky." It was around this time that Costa started experimenting with combinations of instruments, producing musical arrangements, and peddling them to a few notable big bands.
It was this self-promotion that caused two young up and coming singers to notice his work. Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme invited Costa to write some vocal backgrounds for their future recordings. He agreed, and thus began an association that led to their joining a new record label being headed by Sam Clark as president: ABC-Paramount Records. It was here that Costa accepted the position of head A&R man as well as chief arranger and producer. Many hits were to follow, not only with Lawrence and Gorme, but with Lloyd Price, George Hamilton IV, and Paul Anka. Apart from his arranging skills, Costa was an excellent guitarist and during the period 1956 - 1957 he released two 45s on ABC-Paramount using the alias Guitar 'Muvva' Hubbard, the first an R&B styled instrumental 'Ponytail' which he also wrote, as well as a cover version of Bill Justis' hit record, 'Raunchy'.
He was voted number one in Cash Box as the most popular recording arranger and conductor. It was at this time in late 1959 that Costa, along with Lawrence and Gorme, left ABC to join the United Artists label as A&R Director. Costa continued to produce and arrange for others as well as release his own instrumental albums.
Costa found several of his own instrumental recordings becoming hits, including the theme tunes from Never on Sunday and The Unforgiven. "Never on Sunday" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
In the mid-1960s, Costa moved from New York to Hollywood, California, and formed his own company, DCP International, through United Artists. His label had great success by reviving the career of popular 1950s act, Little Anthony and the Imperials. Working with producer-writer Teddy Randazzo, Little Anthony had a string of major hits including "Goin' Out Of My Head" and "Hurt So Bad". In 1963, Costa discovered Trini Lopez working at "PJ's", a Hollywood nightclub. Later in the decade, Sinatra again called on Costa to become his primary arranger and Costa's work with Lawrence and Gorme abated. During this period, Sinatra scored one of his biggest hits, the Paul Anka composed tune "My Way".
DID YOU KNOW ?
Though the song was written in 1937 already, it had it's biggest successes some 20 years later (1956) when both the orchestras of Nelson Riddle ( in the US) and Franck Chacksfield (in the UK )- scored a major chart hit with this Portuguese song.
MHO
A magnificent arrangement of the famous Portuguese classic with Don Costa and his Orchestra in very good shape. The pizzicato strings suit the melody quite well and Costa brings the song to full development, using lots of different instruments to balance the strings in the counter melody and in other parts of the tune.
One sure notices "the hand of the maestro" in this particular arrangement and it comes as no surprise that Don Costa was the "top of the bill choice" for numerous famous vocalists (see above) when it came to hiring a first class arranger.
Enjoy !
