Where Are They Now?

     
Joe Lala

Like many other kids growing up in Ybor City, Joe Lala had dreams of making it big as a musician. Lala wanted to make sure if things didn’t work out in the music biz, he would have something to fall back on, he got his barbers license.

The Jefferson High Class of 1965 grad played drums in several local bands before helping form Blues Image in 1966. The band featured fellow Jefferson chums Mike Pinera and Manny Bertamatti, along with Skip Conte and Malcolm Jones.. They played regularly at Dino’s, then Tampa’s hottest night club. After a couple of years, the band headed for Miami and off to Los Angeles when their million selling “Ride Captain Ride” reached the top of the charts in 1970.


Mike Pinera & Joe Lala sitting;
Joe with sun glasses & Mike

After leaving Blues Image, where he sang lead on “Leaving My Troubles Behind” a prophetic song about his situation in the band, Joe played with Stephen Stills’ Manassas, The Eagles, The Bee Gees, Jackson Browne, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Barbara Streisand, John Couger Mellenkamp, Eric Clapton, Dr John, and Herbie Hancock just to name a few.

Joe accumulated 32 Gold records, and 28 Platinum records during his music career. He played on the movie soundtracks of “Saturday Night Fever”, “Staying Alive”, “D.C. Cab”, “Streets of Fire”. “All The Right Moves”, “Breathless”, “Defiance”, “The Lonely Guy”, and “Airplane”.

A severe case of tendentious ended Joe’s career as a percussionist, but it opened the door to another way of life, acting. I know you have seen him in may projects. His films include “Sugar Hill”, “On Deadly Ground”, “Deep Sleep”, “Havana” with Robert Redford, “Out For Justice”, “Marked For Death” “Eyewitness To Murder” and “Born In East L. A.”

Joe has made many appearances on TV shows like “Miami Vice”, “General Hospital”, “Melrose Place”, “Seinfeld”,”Hunter”, “Who’s The Boss?”, and starred in a summer replacement show named “Knight & Daye”. He portrayed another famous Ybor Citizen Dr. Ferdie Pacheco in “Ali”, and co-starred with Andy Garcia in “For Love Or Country” The Arturo Sandoval Story.

Joe can be heard doing commercials all over the country and on cartoons where voices many characters. He still keeps his barbers license active, “just in case”.

Joe is now living in Tampa Bay again, check out his web site at: www.joelala.com

UPDATE: March 18th 2014 by Tedd Webb

The Music World Loses a Great One

Legendary percussionist Joe Lala who gained fame with Blues image, and Stephen Stills Manassas, plus hundred of other groups, passed away Wed March 18th at 7 am in Tampa’s St Joseph’s Hospital. Lala was 67 years old.

He started out playing in his Jr high and high school bands, not a great drummer just average. But over time he went to play with several Bay area groups before co founding Blues Image with Mike Pinera.

Blues Image went on to stardom with a single called “Ride Captain Ride”, Pinera went with Iron Butterfly and Joe Lala started out what turned out to be a fantastic recording career, playing on records for The Bee Gees, Henry Paul, and many other huge acts.

Joe’s living room was well adorned with Gold and Platinum LP awards from RIAA recordings which he was featured.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome gave way to a new career, acting. Joe’s credits are large in this field as well, high-lighted by his starring opposite Robert Redford in the motion picture Havana.

Joe gave up the Hollywood lifestyle to return to Tampa 10 years ago to take care of his aging mother Jennie. He took of his Mom until her death earlier in 2013, and was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer shortly before his Mom passed.

Joe fought hard, chemo and radiation, but the damage done by the cancer proved to be too much.

We lose a great musician, fantastic actor, and the world’s best friend. Here’s to a great career, from a man who came from meager means, and rose to Hollywood stardom.

Rest in Peace Joe Lala

 






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