DWF 2008 - Liberty De Vitto
Liberty, who had the honor of opening, was already performing in front of a large part of the audience. It was great to see so many people had made the effort to be there right from the start. As organizers, you can't always count on that, but it felt incredibly rewarding. The former drummer of Billy Joel showed exactly why he had been the first choice for 30 years. Liberty, who shared a large part of his life with Billy, played two Joel songs that revealed how much his thoughts still linger in the past. A strong clinic that revealed a drummer with a truly musical and distinctive character.
Drummer Liberty DeVitto’s biggest claim to fame is that he spent no less than 27 years playing with singer and pianist Billy Joel – quite an achievement. DeVitto was practically born into music: in the one-room apartment where he was born, he slept in the drawer of a dresser that had a constantly playing radio on top.
DeVitto taught himself to play drums, mainly by playing along with records. His first big break came with a tour alongside Mitch Ryder, a singer who recorded more than two dozen albums during his forty-year career. The call came unexpectedly: “Can you fill in tonight?” There was no time for rehearsal – but DeVitto rose to the challenge and completed the entire six-week tour.
After Mitch Ryder, various bands followed, with DeVitto opening for groups such as The James Gang and Grand Funk Railroad. A car accident after a show with the latter band led to a year-long break from playing, until he got a call to fill in with – yes – a band that mostly performed at weddings. During this time, the band Toppers was formed, a group with a truly unique sound and ultimately the band that became Billy Joel’s backing band. Come listen to DeVitto, a seasoned veteran with an incredible story and musical experience to match.
Photography: Arthur van Uden
