Joe Pica Biography

Life and work

Personal recollections of Pica

Joe Pica played at the Three Acre Grill in Rutherford NJ late forties to early fifties. Twice a week there were guest singers, one of which was Terry Amadio, a close friend of mine. Dom Cerrito was owner of the grill. I made records on 45 disks of Joe Pica for people that requested a song. the records were given free... People kept coming back. I also made some of Joe with Terry Amadio singing. I lost contact with her when I was drafted into the Army in August 1951 and sadly she was engaged to be married soon after I was discharged from the Active Army in July 1953. I don't think she continued singing much longer. What a shame because she was one of the best but I don't think she believed in herself as much as she should have.

Had she not married and we continued our friendship I know I could have helped her to get to the right people that would have brought her to national and possibly international fame.

To me Joe Pica was the best piano player and Terry Amadio was the very best female singer in my, D. Tony Ciaramella, lifetime.

- D. Tony Ciaramella

Down the Shore in Long Branch, NJ, appearing Friday and Saturday nights at the Kensington Lounge was one of the best piano players I ever heard: Joe Pica, the Wizard of the Keys. He sang and played songs I remembered all of my life: 'Oh How I Miss You Tonight,' 'Go Home, Little Girl, Go Home,' and 'Down in the Schoolyard,' among others. It was in the late '50s, and he brings back many memories.

- Dick Malone

Discography

Singles

• "Back in the Good Old Days" / "Springtime in the Rockies" (with Shorty Warren and the Arlene Wright Trio) (78 rpm, Trope 5154, c. 1951)
• "Go Home, Little Girl, Go Home" (with The Song Spinners) / "Memories" (45 rpm, Anchor 45-A-6, August 1952)
• "Margie" / "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" (45 rpm, Anchor 45-A-18, 1953)
• "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" / "Caravan" (Instrumental) (45 rpm, Original OR-511, c. 1954)
• "The Music Goes 'Round and Around" / "Chinatown, My Chinatown" (Instrumental) (45 rpm, Original OR-512, February 1955)
• "I Learned a Lesson I'll Never Forget" / "Doodle Doo Doo" (with the Balladairs Group) (45 rpm, Original OR-518, 1955)
• "Down in the Old School Yard" / "Oh, How I Miss You Tonight" (45 rpm, Bergen 103, c. 1956)
• "Don't Cry Little Girl, Don't Cry" / "The Woodpecker Song" (Instrumental)(45 rpm, Original OR-532, November 1956)
• "Old Oaken Bucket" / "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" (45 rpm, Anchor 148, November 1958)
• "When Your Hair Has Turned to Silver" / "You Belong to My Heart" (45 rpm, Anchor 150, c. 1958)
• "Down in the Old School Yard" / "Oh, How I Miss You Tonight" (45 rpm, Anchor 152, c. 1958)
• "Somebody Stole My Girl" / "Oh, How I Miss You Tonight" (45 rpm, Anchor 155, c. 1959)
• "Rocka Rolla Old Pianola" / "You Are My Sunshine" (45 rpm, Anchor 156, c. 1959)
• "Maybe" (Instrumental) / "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" (Instrumental) (45 rpm, Anchor 157, c. 1959)
• "Rock a Rolla the Old Pianola" / "Brother Bill" (Original Records?)

Album

• Pica on Pianola (33 rpm, Original LP-01) [Track listing: "Somebody Stole My Gal" / "(The Gang that Sang) Heart of My Heart" / "Oh How I Miss You Tonight" / "I Want a Girl" / "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby" / "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" / "Maybe" / "Sweet Sue, Just You"]