23 Facts About Sammy Nestico

Samuel Louis Nistico, better known as Sammy Nestico, was an American composer and arranger.

Sammy Nestico joined the Oliver High School beginner orchestra in 1937 as a trombonist.

At age 17, Sammy Nestico joined the ABC radio station WCAE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a trombonist.

Sammy Nestico began working as an arranger for Count Basie in 1967, and wrote and arranged all the music for Basie's 1968 LP Basie Straight Ahead.

Sammy Nestico continued to provide arrangements for Basie until Basie's death in 1984, and four of Sammy Nestico's collaborations with Basie earned Grammy Awards.

Sammy Nestico conducted and recorded his arrangements with several leading European Radio Jazz Orchestras, including the BBC Big Band in London, Germany's SWR Big Band and NDR Big Band and the DR Big Band, as well as the Boston Pops Orchestra in America.

Sammy Nestico had a long career in the film and television industry.

Sammy Nestico worked as an arranger for the 81st Academy Awards, as well as some Grammy Awards.

Sammy Nestico worked as an orchestrator and arranger for the film The Color Purple.

Sammy Nestico composed commercial jingles for Anheuser-Busch, Zenith, Ford Motor Company, Mattel Toys, Pittsburgh Paint, the National Guard, Dodge, Remington Bank, and Americard.

Sammy Nestico had a career in music education, teaching at the University of Georgia from 1998 to 1999, where he taught orchestration and conducted the studio orchestra; after which he retired to Carlsbad, California, near San Diego.

Sammy Nestico directed music programs at Los Angeles Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California, Westinghouse Memorial High School, and Wilmerding, Pennsylvania.

Sammy Nestico wrote hundreds of arrangements for school band and jazz band programs.

Sammy Nestico wrote many books, including The Complete Arranger, which was first published in 1993 and has since been revised and published in at least four languages.

At the time of his death, a feature-length documentary film titled Shadow Man: The Sammy Nestico Story was in production.

Sammy Nestico published nearly 600 numbers for school groups and many for professional big bands.

Sammy Nestico married his second wife, Shirley, in 1995, and was married to her until his death.

In 2021, Sammy Nestico died in Carlsbad, California, at the age of 96.

Sammy Nestico was given a military burial later in 2021.

Sammy Nestico received honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Duquesne University and in 2005 from Shenandoah University.

Sammy Nestico received a distinguished alumni award from Duquesne, and in 1994 was inducted into Duquesne's "Century Club".

Sammy Nestico received awards from North Texas State University in 1978,1979, and 1980.

Sammy Nestico was honored by ASMAC and the Big Band Academy of America.