Samuel Louis Nestico, known professionally as Sammy Nestico, was born on February 6, 1924, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After serving in the United States Army during World War II, Nestico earned a degree in music education from Duquesne University. His breakthrough came when he became chief arranger for the United States Marine Band under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1967, Nestico began collaborating with Count Basie, arranging music for albums like Basie Straight Ahead (1968), which earned multiple Grammy Awards. He worked with notable artists including Quincy Jones, Phil Collins, and Barbra Streisand, and released solo albums such as Dark Orchid (1982) and This Is The Moment (2002). Nestico passed away on January 17, 2021.
