Rex Reed has said "If Tennessee Williams was alive and writing tunes he'd be John Bucchino." A catchy quip, but hard to argue with…John's songs have been recorded by a who's who of the pop and cabaret worlds, artists including Liza Minnelli, Barbara Cook, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, Michael Feinstein, Ann Hampton Callaway, Suede, David Campbell, Jimmy Webb, Patti LuPone, and on and on, and his work is a staple in live cabaret venues.

Among the numerous awards honoring his music include his musical "It's Only Life" winning the Los Angeles Ovation Award, and his work for the Dreamworks animated film "Joseph, King of Dreams" with the DVD Premiere Award. He wrote the music for the Broadway musical "A Catered Affair," with Harvey Fierstein writing the book (winner of the Drama League Award for Best Musical). His song "Grateful" was used in an award winning children's book, a part of the Julie Andrews Collection. And he's worked for 25 years with Holly Near on her albums and concerts.

You'll hear about these projects and his work and friendships with Stephen Schwartz (think "Wicked") and Romanovsky & Phillips. And his only movie role.

Much more of his career will come up in this exclusive interview. As in past shows, there was just much too much for one hour, so I hope you will enjoy all three parts.

Above & below, John's early 45's

Note: Many images have others "behind"
them, just pass your cursor over them.

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The first two artists to release John's work on their own recordings both did so in 1986.
Ronnie Gilbert sang "In a Restaurant by the Sea" on "Singing With You," the vinyl album
she did with Holly Near. John played piano on most of the tracks. John also played on the
vinyl only recording by Elliot Pilshaw. It was called "Feels Like Home," and contains that track by
John as well as "That Smile." See my July 2008 QMH show for an extensive interview with Elliot.

Above and below, John's cassette tape releases from 1985 and 1990.
"Solitude Lessons" was re-mastered and reissued on CD in 2000.

From 2000, the "Grateful" CD

Director Harold Prince oversaw the 2001 musical "3hree," featuring three
separate stories. John's music was used for the middle piece "Lavender Girl."
And, below, a different kind of project, John playing the music of Richard Rogers,
and using the piano that belonged to him, now owned by Rogers' grandson, and
composer, Adam Guettel.

  

What better way to get John's music out there in one package, a musical revue,
featuring a very talented cast and 23 of his best songs. The show went on when
performed in Los Angeles to win the Ovations Award.

Above, in 2006 Julie Andrews approached John about using his song for a children's book, with a
CD single to go with it. It's this version of "Grateful," with John on piano, that you heard on this show,
as sung by Art Garfunkel. Below, from 2008 soundtrack for the Broadway music "A Catered Affair."