1. Joseph Harold Negri was born on June 10,1926 and is an American jazz guitarist and educator.
17 Facts About Joe Negri
1. 2.
Joe Negri appeared as himself and as "Handyman Negri" in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
3.
Joe Negri appeared on the 1959 children's television program Adventure Time and with Johnny Costa on the 1954 TV series 67 Melody Lane hosted by Ken Griffin.
4.
Joe Negri taught jazz guitar for 49 years at the University of Pittsburgh, where jazz guitar was first offered as a discipline in higher education.
5.
Joe Negri taught for 46 years at Duquesne University, as well as at Carnegie Mellon University.
6.
Joe Negri began performing on radio at age three, playing the ukulele and singing.
7.
Joe Negri joined the local musicians' union and began playing professional engagements.
8.
Joe Negri enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University, concentrated on music composition, and spent the 50's playing locally around the Pittsburgh area and often worked with pianist Johnny Costa on KDKA television.
9.
Joe Negri played on various live programs and composed theme music as well.
10.
Joe Negri spent the next twenty-two years working at WTAE as music director.
11.
Joe Negri met Fred Rogers at WTAE, when Rogers hosted a short-lived children's show.
12.
In 1968, Joe Negri began appearing as Handyman Joe Negri in the children's program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for nearly 40 years until Rogers stopped producing new episodes in 2000.
13.
Joe Negri taught guitar and later helped Duquesne University establish a jazz guitar program.
14.
Joe Negri was the subject of a profile in the September 2010 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine written by Rich Kienzle.
15.
The Joe Negri archives consist of the collection of manuscripts, recordings, memorabilia, and original hand-written scores that document his life, work and influence.
16.
Joe Negri's donation included his college coursework, compositions written for the River City Brass Band, television scores, commercial jingles, and film work.
17.
Companies that commissioned work from Joe Negri included McDonald's, Alcoa, Kaufmann's, and Westinghouse.