David Spinozza

David Spinozza is an American guitarist and producer. He worked with former Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor, producing Taylor's album "Walking Man".
Career.
Spinozza worked with McCartney during sessions for McCartney's "Ram" album during 1971. When the chance came to work with Lennon two years later, as Yoko Ono prepared her "Feeling the Space" album and Lennon his "Mind Games", Spinozza discovered that Lennon was not aware he had previously worked with McCartney, and was afraid he would be fired if Lennon found out, given their recent feuding in the media. When Lennon did learn of it, his only comment was that McCartney "knows how to pick good people."
David sessioned on Tim Weisberg's 1972 "Hurtwood Edge" and Cashman & West's 1974 "Lifesong". Spinozza contributed to Ono's album "A Story", recorded during 1974 (but not released until 1998), served as her bandleader during a residency at Kenny's Castaways, and rehearsed Ono's band to tour her native Japan, but parted ways with her when the tour began. After no communication for several years, Ono contacted Spinozza late in 1980, for his permission to release "It Happened", a track from "A Story", as a B-side to "Walking on Thin Ice", her tribute to the recently assassinated John Lennon and the last song they had recorded together. Spinozza gave his permission. The track appeared with a new coda, recorded by Lennon and Ono's band from "Double Fantasy".
Spinozza also appeared on Ringo Starr's 1977 album "Ringo the 4th", earning him the distinction of having recorded with three of the four Beatles.
Spinozza played acoustic guitar on the song "Honesty" on the 1978 Billy Joel album "52nd Street".
In 1978 he released "Spinozza" on A&M label, a jazz-oriented album with some vocal tracks.
Spinozza played the guitar solo on Dr. John's hit, "Right Place, Wrong Time", played on Paul Simon's albums "Paul Simon" and "There Goes Rhymin' Simon", Don McLean's "American Pie", and later made contributions to the soundtracks of the movies "Dead Man Walking", "Happiness", and "Just the Ticket". The first album David produced in its entirety was the folk rock trio Arthur, Hurley & Gottlieb who were signed by Clive Davis during his ten years as president Columbia Records. Spinozza was a member of the "Saturday Night Live" band from 1980 to 1982. He also conducted the band in 1980 and 1981.
He held the first guitar chair in the Broadway orchestra of "Hairspray" and, in 2009, reunited with his band from 1973, "L'Image" which also includes Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt, Tony Levin and Steve Gadd.
Discography.
With B.B. King
With Rusty Bryant
With Paul Simon
With Richard Davis
With Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
With John Denver
With Michael Franks
With Art Farmer
With Johnny Hodges
With Ron Davies
With Richie Havens
With Patricia Kaas
With Judy Collins
With Ringo Starr
With Stephen Bishop
With Jim Croce
With Rod Stewart
With Charlie Mariano
With Bette Midler
With Garland Jeffreys
With Laura Branigan
With Melissa Manchester
With Don McLean
With Dionne Warwick
With Robin Kenyatta 
With Stephanie Mills
With Yusef Lateef
With Céline Dion
With Marc Cohn
With Roberta Flack
With Carly Simon
With Yoko Ono
With Aretha Franklin
With Jennifer Holliday
With Johnny Lytle
With The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra
With Peter Allen
With George Benson
With Frankie Valli
With James Taylor
With Elvis Costello
With John Lennon
With Barry Manilow
With Yvonne Elliman
With Herbie Mann 
With Jean-Pierre Ferland 
With Bonnie Raitt
With Arif Mardin
With Les McCann
With David Newman
With Shirley Scott
With Joe Thomas
With Charles Williams
With Deodato
With Billy Joel
With David Sanborn
With Michael Kenny