Tim Cappello (born May 3, 1955), also credited as Timmy Cappello, is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist. He is primarily known for his saxophone work supporting Tina Turner in the 1980s and 90s, as well as for his musical performance in the 1987 vampire film The Lost Boys.
He played saxophone for Peter Gabriel on his album Peter Gabriel 2 (1978) in addition to touring with Gabriel. Cappello also toured with Garland Jeffreys in 1978, playing both saxophone and keyboards. After struggling with heroin addiction, Cappello quit the drug “cold turkey” in 1979 and began bodybuilding in 1980. Cappello toured with Carly Simon later that same year, once appearing on stage in a leather g-string, as well as chains and a dog leash by which Simon pulled him onto the stage.
From 1981 to 1982, Cappello fronted his own pop band in New York City called The Ken Dolls. In 1984, Cappello was hired by Tina Turner as her keyboardist and saxophonist. Recording and touring with her over several years, Cappello’s work can be heard on Turner’s tracks “We Don’t Need Another Hero” and “One of the Living” from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) in addition to appearing in the music videos for both singles. Cappello performed on the 1993 soundtrack album What’s Love Got to Do with It, playing saxophone as well as singing Ike Turner’s vocal parts in an updated version of the song “Proud Mary”. Cappello toured with Ringo Starr in 1992 and 1999 as a member of his All-Starr Band.
At 6 feet tall, and reportedly 215 lbs in 1985, Cappello’s size and appearance helped garner him roles in television and film. As an actor, he appeared on the television shows The Equalizer and Miami Vice in 1987, as well as in the films Hearts of Fire with Bob Dylan in 1987 and Tap with Gregory Hines in 1989.
Cappello has composed music for film and television. He has worked with director Carole Langer on three occasions, composing the score for her 1987 film Radium City, a documentary about the women who worked for the Radium Dial Company in Ottawa, Illinois in the 1920s, for her four-hour documentary series about the Rat Pack for the A&E channel, and for her 2001 TV documentary Lana Turner… a Daughter’s Memoir. Cappello also composed the score for the A&E Biography episode titled “Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown” which first aired in 1996.
He released his 1st solo album, Blood on the Reed, in 2018 and toured to support the album in 2019 and 2020 until Covid hit.
Artist: Tim Cappello
Album: Blood On The Reed
Year: 2018
Label: None (self-released)
Style: Classic Rock, Rock’n’Roll
Format: mp3/320
Tracklist
01 Only You 3:31
02 Tequila 3:40
03 I Put A Spell On You 4:07
04 Highway 61 4:19
05 Wiggle 4:05
06 I Still Believe 6:11
07 Maybelline 3:45
08 Take Me To The River 3:52
09 Nutbush 3:48
10 Sax Interlude 1:06
11 The Girl Can’t Help It / Little Bitty Pretty One 3:59