Carl Fortina

Accordionist, from San Francisco, California (1929–2014).

Has done much session work in the music industry - from [a=The Beach Boys] to [a=The Checkmates LTD.] For 35 years, he was the accordionist on first call for Hollywood. He played in some 600 motion picture and 25,000 television soundtracks. When [a=Nino Rota], the composer who wrote the music for "The Godfather", heard Carl play the theme for the soundtrack, he told Carl "You don't play with your hands; you play with your heart". Carl went onto become musical director of Paramount Studios.