Gary Loizzo

File:American Breed 1968.JPG

Loizzo with American Breed in 1968

Gary Alexander Loizzo (August 16, 1945 – January 16, 2016) was an American guitarist, singer, recording engineer, and record producer. He is best known for being the lead singer with The American Breed.

Biography

Loizzo was the lead singer of The American Breed, formed in the mid 1960s. They had several hit records, including the million selling single "Bend Me, Shape Me" in 1967-1968 and two other top 40 Billboard singles "Green Light" and "Step out of your Mind" and other top 100 hits.

Loizzo then went on to start his own recording studio called 'Pumpkin Studios' in the early 70's and become a two-time Grammy-nominated recording engineer. He worked with REO Speedwagon, Styx, Bad Company, Slash, Survivor, Liza Minnelli, Tenacious D, Nelson, and many others. Loizzo has been the lead recording engineer for albums that have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. Some of his projects included:

• 1978 You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish, REO Speedwagon (engineered), 2x platinum
• 1974 Man of Miracles, Styx (engineered)
• 1979 Cornerstone, Styx (Grammy-nominated for best engineered album of the year), 3x platinum
• 1980 Premonition, Survivor ("Poor Man's Son" - produced and engineered)
• 1981 Paradise Theatre, Styx (engineered), 3x platinum, #1 on Billboard Top 200
• 1983 Kilroy Was Here, Styx (Grammy-nominated for best engineered album of the year), 2x platinum
• 1984 Caught in the Act, Styx (engineered)
• 1985 Desert Moon, Dennis DeYoung (engineered, background vocals)
• 1986 Back to the World, Dennis DeYoung (engineered, background vocals)
• 1988 Boomchild, Dennis DeYoung (engineered, background vocals)
• 1994 10 on Broadway, Dennis DeYoung (engineered)
• 1995 "Rock with the Sox" (White Sox theme), American Breed (engineered, produced, lead vocals)
• 1997 Return To Paradise, Styx (engineered), Gold
• 1998 The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dennis DeYoung (engineered)
• 1999 Brave New World, Styx (engineered)
• 2000 Arch Allies: Live at Riverport, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2002 At the River's Edge: Live in St. Louis, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2003 21st Century Live, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2005 Cyclorama, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2006 One with Everything: Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2007 Big Bang Theory, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2009 Can't Stop Rockin' (single and Rock Band download), Styx and REO Speedwagon (engineered and co-produced)
• 2010 Regeneration, Styx (engineered and co-produced)
• 2013 The Search and the Find, 4th Point (engineered, background vocals)

Death

Loizzo died of pancreatic cancer on January 16, 2016, aged 70.