Biography

Jazz and big band guitarist.

Caiola played on such hits as Paul Anka's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," Neil Sedaka's "Calendar Girl," Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife" and "Splish-Splash," Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," Johnny Mathis' "Chances Are," Del Shannon's "Runaway" and Ben E. King's "Stand by Me." Caiola's version of the theme song from the NBC Western Bonanza reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, and his take on the Magnificent Seven theme, from the 1960 film known for its Elmer Bernstein score, got as high as No. 35. Both were instrumentals released in 1961. He also played on the Experiment in Terror theme written by Henry Mancini's for the 1962 Blake Edwards thriller that starred Lee Remick and Glenn Ford. Caiola worked with fledgling star Barbra Streisand in a Columbia Records session and also played alongside Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Buddy Holly, Sarah Vaughan, Rosemary Clooney, Petula Clark and Glen Campbell. He toured with Sinatra in 1991 and had a decades-long association with Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme.

United Artists used him to make commercial recordings of many movie and TV themes: "Wagon Train (Wagons Ho)", "The Ballad of Paladin", "The Rebel", and "Gunslinger". His album Solid Gold Guitar contained arrangements of "Jezebel", "Two Guitars", "Big Guitar", "I Walk the Line", and "Guitar Boogie".

During World War II Caiola played with the United States Marine Corps 5th Marine Division Band that also included Bob Crosby.

Was an American guitarist, composer and arranger, who spanned a variety of music genres including jazz, country, rock, and pop.