Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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RITENOUR, Lee

(b 1 Nov. '52, Hollywood CA) Guitarist; also banjo, mandolin etc. Has recorded with Sergio Mendes, Herbie Hancock, Gato Barbieri, Peggy Lee, Oliver Nelson, Carly Simon, many others; taught classical guitar at USC; ace studio musician makes albums fusing Latin, jazz and soul. Began with Guitar Player '76 on MCA Coral; Gentle Thought, Sugar Loaf Express, Lee Ritenour Friendship '77--8 on Japanese JVC, all by group called Gentle Thoughts; First Course on Epic followed by first chart entry Captain Fingers '77; switched to Elektra for The Captain's Journey '78, Feel The Night '79, Rit '81 (helped to no. 26 slot by top 15 single 'Is It You', with vocal by Eric Tagg), all-acoustic Rio '82, Rit/2 '82, On The Line '83 (did not make pop chart), Banded Together '84. Some reissues are now on Discovery CDs; Harlequin '85 on GRP was co-led with Dave Grusin, who played on many of the others, incl. two Portuguese songs sung by Brazilian Ivan Lins. Rio and On The Line are now on GRP; later titles incl. Earth Run, soundtrack American Flyers, Festival (with Grusin, Caetano Veloso etc), Portrait (with Kenny G), Color Rit, Wes Bound, Larry And Lee '94--5 (with Larry Carlton) all on GRP.