Al Fiore

Al Fiore (December 30, 1922—October 25, 1996) was an American harmonica player and musician.

Al Fiore was born Albert Fiorentino in Chicago, Illinois, on December 30, 1922.

Fiore grew up on Chicago's west side and began playing the harmonica at a young age after he discovered a Hohner harmonica in his older brother's dresser. When he was eight, he played the harmonica in his brother's band as a substitute musician.

His influences were famed harmonica players Larry Adler and Borrah Minevitch.

Fiore became friends with harmonica players Jerry Murad and Pete Pedersen and the three played together regularly. When Borrah Minevitch was performing in Chicago with his group The Harmonica Rascals, Minevitch met the three friends backstage. Impressed by their harmonica skills, Minevitch asked them to join The Harmonica Rascals. Murad and Pedersen accepted but Fiore decided to stay back in Chicago to support his family business.

In 1943, Murad and Pedersen left the Rascals and returned to Chicago. Shortly after, Fiore, Murad, Pedersen, and Bob Hadamik (bass harmonica) founded The Harmonica Madcaps. Prederesen left and the group was joined by Don Les, a former member of the Rascals. The group was later renamed The Harmonicats. Pedersen became the group's main arranger and was the second chromatic player for many albums over the band's nearly 50 years of recording. The Harmonicats was by far the most successful harmonica group in the United States.

In the fall of 1946, Harmonicats landed a steady gig at Helsing's Vodvil Lounge in Chicago.

In 1947, the Harmonicats recorded "Peg o' My Heart", a popular 1913 song written by Alfred Bryan and composed by Fred Fisher. The Harmonicats' version on Vitacoustic Records spent 21 weeks on the Billboard chart (peaking at No. 1) and sold more than 2 million copies the first year. It was the first record in history to use artificial reverb.

Fiore left the Harmonicats in 1982 for health reasons but remained an active member of Chicago's Windy City Harmonica Club. He was a regular guest at harmonica festivals in the United States and Europe and donated a scholarship to promote harmonica lessons in schools.

Fiore died in Chicago, Illinois, on October 25, 1996, at age 73.