Biography
Born around 1948 in Ulster County, New York, Platania grew up in the countryside of the state and first learned piano through local instruction. The sound of Scotty Moore on Elvis Presley’s records drew him to the guitar, while broader listening encompassed Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Bryant, Hank Garland, Buddy Holly and Wes Montgomery across pop, rock, country, blues and jazz. After joining Silver Bike in 1967 and cutting tracks for Bang Records that stayed in the vault, his reputation quickly led to steady session work throughout New York studios. Van Morrison discovered him and kept him in the band through the first half of the 1970s, resulting in appearances on Moondance and It’s Too Late To Stop Now as well as a return performance at the 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival. Additional recording and touring credits accumulated with John Cale, Judy Collins, Don McLean on “American Pie,” “Vincent” and “Crying,” Randy Newman’s Good Old Boys, Bonnie Raitt, Mort Shuman and James Taylor. A sustained partnership with Chip Taylor produced both songs and performances, placing Platania on Gasoline in 1971 and Chip Taylor’s Last Chance two years later.
In Los Angeles during 1976 he assembled the short-lived Giants alongside Ron Elliott, Bruce Gary and Karl Rucker, an ensemble that issued only a single album. He contributed to the Emmy Award-winning revue None For The Road in 1983 and later supplied music for Sail Productions’ staging of The Life And Times Of Harriet Taubman. Television work included arranging and co-producing the children’s series Whoopi’s Littleburg for Whoopi Goldberg. Production credits also extended to Guy Davis’s Butt Naked Free, Lisa McCormick’s Sacred and Stephanie Corby’s Fireworks. Late in the decade he began writing with Elwood H. Smith, ultimately singing those songs on the 2002 solo album Lucky Dog. Subsequent activity brought tours alongside Natalie Merchant and a return to Chip Taylor’s projects. Guest musicians on the 2007 solo release Blues, Waltzes And Badland Borders included Alejandro Escovedo and Lucinda Williams. In 2006 he rejoined Morrison for the Pay The Devil world tour.
In Los Angeles during 1976 he assembled the short-lived Giants alongside Ron Elliott, Bruce Gary and Karl Rucker, an ensemble that issued only a single album. He contributed to the Emmy Award-winning revue None For The Road in 1983 and later supplied music for Sail Productions’ staging of The Life And Times Of Harriet Taubman. Television work included arranging and co-producing the children’s series Whoopi’s Littleburg for Whoopi Goldberg. Production credits also extended to Guy Davis’s Butt Naked Free, Lisa McCormick’s Sacred and Stephanie Corby’s Fireworks. Late in the decade he began writing with Elwood H. Smith, ultimately singing those songs on the 2002 solo album Lucky Dog. Subsequent activity brought tours alongside Natalie Merchant and a return to Chip Taylor’s projects. Guest musicians on the 2007 solo release Blues, Waltzes And Badland Borders included Alejandro Escovedo and Lucinda Williams. In 2006 he rejoined Morrison for the Pay The Devil world tour.
Albums