April 2015 Meeting Program:
John Richetta - Musician
John Richetta - Musician
For over forty-three years, John Richetta has used music to shape his life – professionally and personally. He is the originator of the popular weekly radio program, Tempo Italiano, that is heard every Sunday on IHeart Radio’s FOX 1470. The show is the longest running Italian radio program in the Lehigh Valley area and just the 2nd of its venue type in the history of this area, followed only by a show that aired for a very short time in Easton, PA in the early 1950s.
From Tempo Italiano’s very first show on January 4, 1998 to today, John also evoked a variety of memories for his listeners and inspired generations of families to rekindle their Italian heritage through events and venues that help to keep everyone’s Italian heritage alive.
In July, 2000, Tempo Italiano introduced Villa Tempo Italiano to the community. What was once a boarded up property in Easton was turned into an Italian Piazza, complete with two 7’ fountains, Italian gardens and two bocce courts.
Then, in May 2002, John and his wife, Pam, became the editors of a page in the Italian Tribune, the country’s largest Italian American news paper. Their contributions included stories about Italian American businesses, families and individuals in our communities. From the collection of those stories, the Richettas created a book in 2005, aptly named the “Tempo Italiano Memories Cookbook”, which included over 200 recipes from the Tempo Italiano listeners along with over forty stories about the histories of local families and businesses.
Richetta is also the originator and drummer for “Tower Suite”, which celebrated forty years of music at an event at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem in 2014. To its credit as one of the most popular musical groups in the Lehigh Valley, “Tower Suite” has played more than one hundred shows in the casino, more than any other musical group since the casino’s opening.
One of these performances – the Tower Suite Grand Reunion – performed in October of last year was the most successful event ever held in the Molten Lounge since it opened in 2010.
In addition to regular monthly performances at restaurants and clubs, many other large and small venues in the Lehigh Valley and New Jersey include “Tower Suite” at their events because of their ability to appeal to a wide variety of audiences and venues.
“Tower Suite”, the core band, is comprised of the three main performers of the group; Richetta, along with the group’s two other long-time artists, Mike Peters and Joe Colarusso.
“Tower Suite Too” is made up of the three main performers with the addition of a female vocalist.
“Tower Suite…with A Twist ”is a collaboration of the original “Tower Suite” musicians with a bit of the Blues and is created by the addition of another singer and another musician.
However, the most electrifying performances are achieved with the entire 9-piece band, aptly called “Tower Suite & Friends”, which is the band that is showcased monthly at the Sands Casino. And this year, “Tower Suite” has also been recognized with a Veterans Award from the Lehigh Valley Music Awards organization for more than forty years of dedication to the music industry.
There is a very prolific and profound proverb that speaks volumes about the magic of music - “For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul’s own speech.” There’s no doubt that John Richetta has a gift for creating that magic as well as touching hearts and creating memories for people. The musical memories he evokes for his listeners every Sunday on Tempo Italiano and the new memories he creates with his band, “Tower Suite”, are two of the most important parts of his life.
From Tempo Italiano’s very first show on January 4, 1998 to today, John also evoked a variety of memories for his listeners and inspired generations of families to rekindle their Italian heritage through events and venues that help to keep everyone’s Italian heritage alive.
In July, 2000, Tempo Italiano introduced Villa Tempo Italiano to the community. What was once a boarded up property in Easton was turned into an Italian Piazza, complete with two 7’ fountains, Italian gardens and two bocce courts.
Then, in May 2002, John and his wife, Pam, became the editors of a page in the Italian Tribune, the country’s largest Italian American news paper. Their contributions included stories about Italian American businesses, families and individuals in our communities. From the collection of those stories, the Richettas created a book in 2005, aptly named the “Tempo Italiano Memories Cookbook”, which included over 200 recipes from the Tempo Italiano listeners along with over forty stories about the histories of local families and businesses.
Richetta is also the originator and drummer for “Tower Suite”, which celebrated forty years of music at an event at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem in 2014. To its credit as one of the most popular musical groups in the Lehigh Valley, “Tower Suite” has played more than one hundred shows in the casino, more than any other musical group since the casino’s opening.
One of these performances – the Tower Suite Grand Reunion – performed in October of last year was the most successful event ever held in the Molten Lounge since it opened in 2010.
In addition to regular monthly performances at restaurants and clubs, many other large and small venues in the Lehigh Valley and New Jersey include “Tower Suite” at their events because of their ability to appeal to a wide variety of audiences and venues.
“Tower Suite”, the core band, is comprised of the three main performers of the group; Richetta, along with the group’s two other long-time artists, Mike Peters and Joe Colarusso.
“Tower Suite Too” is made up of the three main performers with the addition of a female vocalist.
“Tower Suite…with A Twist ”is a collaboration of the original “Tower Suite” musicians with a bit of the Blues and is created by the addition of another singer and another musician.
However, the most electrifying performances are achieved with the entire 9-piece band, aptly called “Tower Suite & Friends”, which is the band that is showcased monthly at the Sands Casino. And this year, “Tower Suite” has also been recognized with a Veterans Award from the Lehigh Valley Music Awards organization for more than forty years of dedication to the music industry.
There is a very prolific and profound proverb that speaks volumes about the magic of music - “For heights and depths no words can reach, music is the soul’s own speech.” There’s no doubt that John Richetta has a gift for creating that magic as well as touching hearts and creating memories for people. The musical memories he evokes for his listeners every Sunday on Tempo Italiano and the new memories he creates with his band, “Tower Suite”, are two of the most important parts of his life.
