Orie Amodeo

Amodeo was born in Mechanicville, New York, on March 9, 1921. A self-taught musician from a young age, he learned all the woodwind instruments and the violin. He attended Mechanicville High School and graduated in 1938.

Prior to playing with the Lawrence Welk orchestra he was a member of the Amodeo City Band in Mechanicville, under his father. He also played for the band at his high school, and as part of a small band at Joyce's Log Cabin, a local tavern and music venue. He moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1951. Amodeo served in the United States Army.[1]

Amodeo joined the Lawrence Welk Orchestra in San Francisco in 1945. He remained with the orchestra until 1970, when he left to form his own band.[2] On television and in movies, Amodeo was the lead reed player for the Lawrence Welk Orchestra.[3]

Amodea founded the Champagne Music Makers and spent 25 years with the band. In 1970, the same year Amodeo left the Lawrence Welk orchestra, he also became a stage technician. Although numerous attempts at success were made, the venture eventually proved to be unsuccessful. He retired from his job as a stage technician in Los Angeles in 1988.

He married Gloria Amodeo (née Mucci; 1924 – 1999) on November 7, 1943.[4] Orie and Gloria had two daughters and two sons. They were married for 55 years, until his death in 1998. He died of a long illness at his home at the age of 77 years old.[5]