On this day (March 18) in 2014, Joe Lala died from lung cancer at the age of 66. He was an in-demand session drummer who played with some of the most influential bands of the 1970s. For instance, he played with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Byrds, Jackson Browne, and more. He was also a member of Manassas. Later, he appeared in Miami Vice, General Hospital, Melrose Place, Seinfeld, and Who’s the Boss. Lala also took voice acting jobs in multiple animated series and video games.
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Lala started playing drums in several bands around his hometown of Ybor City, Florida. Then, he co-founded Blues Image in 1966. They released their self-titled debut album in 1969. A year later, they released their sophomore album, Open, which contained “Ride Captain Ride.” The song peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the band their only hit. They broke up later that year.
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While Blues Image was over, Lala wasn’t done playing drums. Rodney Justo, a member of the Atlanta Rhythm Section and a longtime acquaintance of Lala, spoke to the Tampa Bay Times about the drummer after his passing. “Tampa had a crazy list of really good drummers. He couldn’t crack the upper regime,” he recalled. Then, he started playing congas, and multiple doors opened. “I didn’t know anybody who really played the congas until I met Joe. Had an authenticity, is what he had.”
Joe Lala Played Percussion for the stars.
He was a percussionist of many talents. As a result, he can be heard on a long list of hit songs and albums. For instance, he played congas on the Bee Gees’ 1976 No. 1 “You Should Be Dancing.” He played a wide range of percussion on Barbara Streisand’s 1980 album Guilty and Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut album.
A case of carpal tunnel stopped him from performing full-time. However, he still took select gigs. He recorded with Dolly Parton, Rod Stewart, and others. Additionally, he toured with the Byrds in the final days of the band.
A Change of Pace
Joe Lala’s carpal tunnel got progressively worse. As a result, he made a major career change in the late 1980s. According to IMDb, his first acting role was in a 1986 episode of the TV show Fortune Dane. Two years later, he appeared in Miami Vice. Roles in the films Out for Justice, Eyewitness to Murder, and Havana followed.
In 1994, he met Ginny McSwain, a voice actor and casting director. She helped Lala get into voice acting for animated series, video games, and commercials. He did voice work in the video games It Came from the Desert, Gabriel Knight 3, and Killer7. His voice acting credits include parts in The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, Quack Pack, The New Batman Adventures, Extreme Ghostbusters, and Max Steel, among others.
Featured Image by Glenn Watson/NBCU Photo Bank
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