Early life Antonino LoTempio was born in
Niagara Falls, New York. A musical prodigy, he learned to play the
clarinet and the
tenor saxophone as a child. He won a talent show at four years of age and appeared on television with
Benny Goodman at age seven. When his family moved to
California, he was featured on the
Horace Heidt radio show, performing a
Benny Goodman clarinet solo.
Film A child actor, he appeared in
The Red Pony and in
The Glenn Miller Story featuring
James Stewart.
Music career Tempo was a sought-after session musician, working as a member of the famous session band the
Wrecking Crew, performing with
Elkie Brooks, and recording with
Maynard Ferguson (
Live at the Peacock, 1956). Via a
Bobby Darin recording session, Tempo made connections with
Atlantic Records and signed with its subsidiary
Atco Records. However, Nino Tempo was known best for his 1963 duet "
Deep Purple" on Atco with his sister Carol (singing under the stage name April Stevens), which was
No.1 on the
Billboard Hot 100. The song won the 1964
Grammy Award for
Best Rock And Roll Recording, selling more than one million copies and earning a
gold disc. During late 1973, a little less than ten years after "Deep Purple" had topped the Hot 100, Tempo formed Nino Tempo and 5th Ave. Sax, which had the hit "Sister James," reaching #53 on the Hot 100 on October 27. Recorded at
A&M Records studio with the backing, writing, producing, and arranging of
Jeff Barry, "Sister James" became one of the first instrumental disco records to score the national charts. "Sister James" is often classified as an example of
Northern Soul. During 1975, Tempo played saxophone on
John Lennon's album ''
Rock 'n' Roll, and was a featured soloist on The Kenny Rankin Album'' (1976).
Voice work In the 1980s he was a voice actor for multiple
Garfield TV specials. == Death ==