We stopped there on one of our trips and he said, Oh, listen. Let's take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really wanna go for a whole day ..? [12], For the band's self-titled debut album, see, Santo & Johnny, guests of the television program "Tutto pop", Turin, 1972, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Johnny Farina bringing musical talent to 'Original Lead Singers' show", "The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame (list of inductees)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santo_%26_Johnny&oldid=1149134047, Produttori Associati/Canadian-American 7054, This page was last edited on 10 April 2023, at 11:29. He said, Well, listen. At a segregated hotel he met Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny, a brother act with a hit instrumental called "Sleepwalk." Mr. Farina, who lives in East Islip, has remained Mr. Maestro's best friend. 911 followers. I really enjoyed this interview. Robert. tours and records new material with his own band. Within two years, Santo was performing in amateur shows using a new Gibson six-string steel guitar and had started receiving lessons from a steel guitar teacher who had studied in Hawaii. It reached Billboard magazine's No. We didnt realize that they wanted to get more mileage out of the song. 7 talking about this. Time proves whats real. They also had their own TV Show in Italy.Johnny has kept the magical steel guitar sound alive performing as a solo artist all over the country since the early 70's.Appearances include The Greek Theater in California, The Paramount Theater in NYC, They Hollywood Casino in Mississippi, Ruth Echard Hall in Florida, The Continental Arena/The Meadowlands in New Jersey, The Philharmonic Center in Naples, Florida, The Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, Madison Square Garden in NYC, Harrahs in Las Vegas, etc.1999 was a great year for "Sleep Walk", it earned BMI's Millionaires Award symbolizing 2 million airplays on the radio. 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. Steel Guitarist, Johnny Farina, Talks About Sleep Walk, Les Paul, The Beatles, and Santo and Johnny (PART ONE), An Interview with India's Slide Guitar Ambassador Debashish Bhattacharya, Eric Johnson Interview: Austin, Strats and Standel Amps, Teddy Richards Talks About Songwriting, Developing As An Artist and Working With The Aretha Franklin Band, Shop our popular Accessory products at the new Brookstone.com. Its the steel guitar that gives the song a magical quality, Johnny believes. Record companies didnt know what to make of it. The worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. Im proud to say my version was a top ten hit and now my catalogue is forever identified with it Im honoured and congratulate Santo and Johnny for writing such a classic.. He was like a crackerjack. There have also been so many covers of Sleep Walk, from artists ranging from Brian Setzer to Eric Clapton to Jeff Beck. But, there are people that did different versions, like Larry Carlton. 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. Image: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images. It was tough doing a follow-up to that kind of success, Johnny said. 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. I have a group of movies that Sleep Walk was actually used in. I thought it was so funny because I knew that he would go to bed at like three in the morning, people were telling me. I have changed my name from Farina to Rompe, but I was still bourne a Farina . This trio appeared at local dances and parties, performing both original compositions and some Hawaiian standards. affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network, and 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. What Santo and Johnny birthed was a song overflowing with the kind of magic and dreamy romance felt when two star crossed lovers gaze into one anothers eyeswhen two hearts beat as one. The Farina brothers began to gather fans from Brooklyn to Long Island.As their popularity grew locally they recorded a couple of demo tapes. Can you tell our readers what you are up to musically these days? There was a dealer in New York on Broadway. 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: Yes, in 28 years it reverted back. In 1973 they recorded "The Godfather" movie theme. What are your hopes and fears for the future of music? This allowed him to experiment even more, and he tried different tunings until he found ones that appealed to him. Sleep Walk migrated the sound to the pop and early rock genre of the day, and in its own way, introduced the sound to a budding audience of young listeners and guitar players. In addition to being featured extensively in movies, television and commercials, Sleep Walk has also been covered by everyone from Jeff Beck, Brian Setzer (who won a Grammy for his version in 1998) and Larry Carlton to Derek Trucks, Chet Atkins and even the Deftones. He was 17 when killed in a 1959 airplane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. In 2002 Santo & Johnny were inducted into the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. Santo & Johnny were now International artists. Upon its original release, the song hit Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the brothers a gold record award. Also in 1999 a version of "Sleep Walk" by Brian Setzer earned the song a Grammy Award for best instrumental of 1999. 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. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. 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. [4], Santo Anthony Farina and John Steven Farina were born in Brooklyn, New York, to Anthony and Josephine Farina: Santo on October 24, 1937, and Johnny on April 30, 1941. He is from USA. Powered by, Badges | the Amazon Associates Program via amazon.com. They were than signed to an Italian record label and had a string of hits in Europe starting with "Sleep Walk" followed by hit singles, Love Story, Maria Elena, Ebb Tide, Love is Blue, Enchanted Sea, etc, etc. I changed the chord structure as I did in my Christmas CD. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. The two brothers wrote it one night, when they couldnt sleep after playing a gig, and started jamming. 3/25/01. The song changed his life in many ways. 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. As Im speaking to him, he gets a note. New York, composed of brothers Santo Farina (born October . In reply to: Santo and Johnny Farina. Mike Perlowin From: Los Angeles CA Posted 8 Jun 2016 8:16 pm The first time ev ever saw a steel guitar was when Santo and Johnny played Sleepwalk on American Bandstand. , money, salary, income, and assets. Guitar great Carlton on how a 60-year-old song, Sleep Walkchanged his life twice, and why Johnny Farina is still playing this timeless classic that influenced everyone from Peter Green to John Lennon. It was a natural thing. 1999 was a great year for "Sleep Walk", it earned BMI's Millionaires Award symbolizing 2 million airplays on the radio. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by WayOutWardell, Jun 8, 2016. The boys were young when their Dad was drafted into the Army and stationed in Oklahoma. If I dont play every day, there is something not right about the day for me. They didnt try to copy the original. "Sleep Walk" continues to be popular owing to consistent radio airplay as well as its usage for commercials, television programs, and movies. Sleep Walk reached #1 on the charts and earned them a Gold Record. Johnny Farina Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. This was the signature song for SANTO & JOHNNY. [4][5] where steel players meet online. They had recorded and released over 40 albums worldwide. Santo & Johnny were an American rock and roll duo from Brooklyn, New York. What are the differences from the normal slide guitar? Ironically, we never really play country and western. April 30, 1941 - Rock and roller Johnny Farina (of Santo and Johnny) was born "John Steven Farina" in Brooklyn, New York. Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny fame keeps the legendary instrumental Sleep Walk alive, 60+ years after it was recorded. 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? He had a Who cares? attitude. You can stay as long as you want. I said, Wow, thats so sweet., I did a few numbers with him. Santo & Johnny. They had recorded and released over 40 albums worldwide. Santo is semi-retired and Johnny currently[when?] Their first release in 1959 was "Sleep Walk" which was written by Santo & Johnny. (Photo: Johnny and Bo Diddley). What has made you laugh lately and what touched (emotionally) you from the music circuits? Santo and Johnny are inductees into the Italy Music Hall of Fame and the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. Recently there was a movie that might be coming out called The Conjuring. 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. I'm always looking for new interesting projects, and to do more shows than I'm doing. Heres a man who came from Italy when he was nine. I told him, Dad, you dont understand. (1959 Coney Island, New York) Because thats where I heard Sleep Walk on the radio for the first time. Its sort of like a scary movie because thats the trend today. It was the last #1 instrumental of the 50's and earned them a Gold Record. So he said, You guys are writing good songs and are losing them. With that, he bought us a Webcor tape recorder and said, Record everything you do. We would start a melody, and do as much as we could, then start another one, then go back to the first one a day or two later. Santo and Johnny Farina are brothers. The brothers eventually came to the attention of a music publishing company and signed a song writer's contract and eventually a contract with Canadian-American Records. 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. I havent been touched by anybody. Johnny has kept the magical steel guitar sound alive performing as a solo artist all over the country since the early 70's. The No. It was in a movie called All I Want for Christmas, with Cher, A Smile Like Yours, The Locust, Mermaids. It's sometimes reported that their mother or sister helped, but this is apparently false.) He heard this beautiful-sounding instrument and thats what turned him on to the steel guitar. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. There would be a certain amount of pressure that Id be using to get the paint onto the brush. In the beginning they had the publishing. What do you recall about recording the song at Trinity Music? I can fish. It is also played in the end scene of "La Bamba" after protagonist Ritchie Valens dies. Thank you so very much. 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. I had an idea to do it operatic style. 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. Santo & Johnny were inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2002. Rick: The song came out in 59, right? It held the #1 spot for them in Italy for 26 weeks which broke all records in Italy. Feature Other Events July 27-29, 2023 - Towne Square Community Center, Winchester, IN September 21-23, 2023 - Odd Fellows Lodge, Cupertino, CA After hearing a steel guitar by radio, he wrote to his wife, "I'd like the boys to learn to play this instrument". Its been in at least 30 movies. Johnny Farina: Actually, I have a list of movies that you would not believe. I am launchina webiste and I will do some teasers at my local station 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. He was a genius. They play it note for note. Which is the most interesting period in your life? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6nPJcvJ3vQ When Santo was a teenager, he was able to get a local music store to modify an acoustic guitar, allowing him to play it like a steel guitar.Within two years, Santo was performing in amateur shows on a new Gibson six-string steel guitar and had started receiving lessons from a steel guitar teacher who had studied in Hawaii. Johnny Farina: Ironically, when I was a kid, I never forgot that my father bought us a guitar, a steel guitar. 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? Hed get up late. The dreamy tune evokes feelings of sweet romance that are rooted deep within all of us. There on the radio he heard this beautiful music, it was the sound of the steel guitar. Report an Issue | Do you recall what guitar you used on the recording? When it was used in La Bamba, it was such an important part of that movie, just to see the funeral cars coming down and know that my song was used and connected to the three legends. Are there any memories from recording and show time with Santo and Johnny which you'd like to share with us? Santo & Johnny's career was without a doubt . Santo & Johnny is an American rock and roll instrumental duo of Italian descent from Brooklyn, New York, composed of brothers Santo Farina (born October 24, 1937) and Johnny Farina (born April 30, 1941). Santo and Johnny Farina were the 45th induction into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2002. 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. What are some of the most memorable gigs you've had? It could be anything. Its easy to play. Accept. 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. The Strange Dave Show made me laugh. What I noticed about them, they had a lot of speed. The second part, to play well, it has a feel to it. When people ask me a question, How did you feel when that song was created? or What made you guys write that song? The best way I feel I can describe it is, if I were to be painting a portrait. The brothers soon formed a duo and became rather popular in school, eventually performing at events in the New York boroughs. He is currently single. 1 hit single by Santo & Johnny is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary and the song's legacy continues to grow. The feel, they dont have it. george nadara, Jun 8, 2016 #2 A version by Brian Setzer received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1998. Why not cover it with a vocal and get really good mileage out of it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rwfqsjimRM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6nPJcvJ3vQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODIvONHPqpk. He owned Trinity Music and became our manager. I dont know if you ever heard of him. 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. They worked these 14 years playing clubs and casinos all over Europe. 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 was four years older than me. (10 years ago), Robert You can e-mail Johnny at: zzzwalk@optonline.net Best Regards, Rick. Rick, could you help me directing me on hot to go about obtaining permission to use sleepwalk (Santo and Johnny) for a TV ad? Youre right, the first part. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! Johnny continues to perform all over the world! 1 position for two weeks in September (the 21st and the 28th) and remained in the 'Top 40' list until November 9. 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. That was good. I believed in that song, Johnny, who will appear in The Villages on Thursday, said in a recent telephone interview. I actually thought if they came out with a vocal version, who knows, maybe Lady Gaga might do it. How do you describe Johnny Farina sound and progress, what characterize your music philosophy? Bath Rick: A lot of people didn't do that. Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny (Two brothers from Brooklyn). He did his feel to it and he captured a different painting, the way he did it. You dont remember me from last night? [Both Laughing]. Im sitting with Les. People kept sending little notes back to his dressing room. Loosely inspired by the song "Softly, As In The Morning Sunrise" (Sigmund Romberg, 1929), it had the same chord progression but a simpler melody line. They had recorded and released over 40 albums worldwide. 2004-2022 Guitar International Group, LLC. People are more educated today. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. They looked for souvenirs, and stole the hubcaps off my fathers 51 Buick. Get the latest and greatest Guitar news with one of our guitar magazine subscriptions. After many, many years, I got my publishing back. Johnny is also president of a record company called Aniraf, Inc (yep, that's "Farina" spelled backwards). Id get the brush and just dip it in the paint. I hear a lot of steel guys playing it and they just play it. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. SLEEP WALK was the last (number 1) intrumental of the 50;s and earned them a Gold Record. I had no money in my pocket, but I felt like a star. But despite the original topping the Billboard pop chart in 1959, and the songs enduring legacy seeing it used in countless adverts and film soundtracks, Brooklyn brothers Santo and Johnny Farina dont often get mentioned in the pantheon of influential guitarists from the era. This was an early call. But Johnny, 75, still tours the world and loves playing the steel guitar. We wrote and recorded so many songs. When it became a monster smash, the family had to move out of Brooklyn. Its finished. He wanted us to play it. He had no musical knowledge of any sort. The song is played at the start and also near the end of the film, during a funeral for Valens. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Next thing you know, Sleep Walk, went to No. Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny. Santo, October 24, 1937 and Johnny, April 30, 1941. Sleep Walk is over 50 years old and still going strong, being used in movies, TV shows and commercials. The brothers soon formed a duo and became rather popular in school, eventually performing at events in the New York boroughs. He is not dating anyone. [4] [5] Their father was drafted into the Army while they were children and was stationed for some time in Oklahoma. 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. I am hoping to find some other links to the Farinas that I am involved with. Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny. Ive never stopped playing. Peter Green from Fleetwood Mac was inspired by Sleep Walk to write Albatross. In time they would pull together a piece called Sleep Walk so named because when they couldnt sleep they would stay up playing and recording. I've written a movie script and a soundtrack for it, just shopping it around. One of the first covers was by Betsy Brye (stage name of Bette Anne Steele) in 1959. Still touring and keeping Sleep Walk alive! By the age of fourteen, Santo was composing songs, and formed an instrumental trio with a guitarist and drummer. It could be 12 Monkeys. So he bought one for his sons, along with a tape recorder. His place was the Gibson place where you would go. They released 9 albums on the Canadian American label and than in 1966 they were on United Artist Records, then in 1967 they released 4 albums on the Imperial label. 8 talking about this. 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. Alan loved the song, Johnny said. I was 16 when Sleep Walk hit No. 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. "Sleep Walk" continues to be popular due to consistent radio airplay as well as its usage for commercials, television programs, and movies. I want you to hear something.. It was the last instrumental to hit #1 in the 1950s and earned Santo & Johnny a gold record. Playing the steel is like singing. When did you know you had a hit? Robert. At 82 years old, Johnny Farina height not available right now. That scene always gets to me, because I loved Ritchies music, Farina said. 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. Initially Sleep Walk was met with rejections as the hitmakers were only interested in doo-wop music at this point, but they eventually scored success with a publisher instead, Trinity Music. I think they were thinking that its a big instrumental. They also had their own TV Show in Italy. Obviously were gonna talk about Sleep Walk because its been such a pivotal record in your career and your life. I saw on FB confirmed by family that Santo Farina has passed away at 77. 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. Santo & Johnny were now International artists. 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. "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. That tune, in turn, then influenced the Beatles on their own "Sun King.". Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The Lettermen sang it on one of their early albums. How has the music industry changed over the years? Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, BA1 1UA. We were inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame about 10 years ago and I was down in St. Louis. Hed wait. Hohnny of Santo & Johnny keep his magical steel guitar sound alive performing as a solo artist throughout the country.