Pat Rizzo

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Pat Rizzo is an American musician, best known as a saxophonist for influential funk band Sly & the Family Stone from 1972 to 1975. During this period Rizzo also performed with Tito Puente and Frank Sinatra. He'd started performing in the sixites with The Cufflinks. In the Family Stone, Rizzo was intended as a replacement for founding member Jerry Martini, who got into trouble with Sly Stone and his accountants for inquiring about money rightfully due him, but both Martini and Rizzo remained in the band and became good friends. He later replaced the late Charles Miller in War.

Pat Rizzo is currently playing alto saxophone in Sly and The Family Stone's comeback tour. Pat began his musical career in his own home. His mother, Mary Rizzo (nee Maria Grande) as a young adolescent became a concert pianist in Bari, Italy. She was a natural! Her teachers couldn't tell whether she was sight reading for her daily lesson, or if she had practiced and prepared for it. Pat's Dad, Peter Rizzo was an untrained singer who possessed a whole lot of rhythm. Pacquale Rizzo, a guitar-playing singer and Francesco Grande, a big-band leader in NYC were Pat's grandfathers. So you see, Pat definitely inherited his genes from his ancestors. And luckily he has passed them on to his children: Nina, Lori and Peter Joshua (PJ). Pat's nephew, Gary Rizzo, also a big talent, is a sound engineer at Sky Walker Ranch.

Although, at first, disappointed he had studied piano as a young boy because he couldn't play in the band, the teacher handed him a cymbal to strike. At that moment, Pat discovered his life-long passion for performing. It started way-back-when at PS 85 an NYC grammar school in Astoria, Queens.

Presently living in Palm Springs, California, Pat is a desert superstar who conducts big-bands for various fund raising events and performs at seasonal galas in the desert communities. He is a regular at desert night spots and casinos.

He is a diverse talent who writes music and lyrics, has a special singing voice and plays flute, along with several saxophones. Pat can even make a simple whistle sing out a tune. I know because I've heard him do it!