Ralph Grasso

Ralph Santo Grasso (March 5, 1934 – September 14, 2021) was an American guitar player and a session guitarist from Newark, New Jersey. During his career he worked as a session musician and he also worked on television and film scores.

Early life Grasso was born March 5, 1934, and grew up in Newark, New Jersey. He claimed in an interview that his family was poor without heat or hot water. He also claimed the family lived in an empty store front and shared a toilet with fourteen families. When he was a boy someone gave him a guitar and he said, "It was a small, three-quarter guitar with a Hawaiian scene painted on it." Ralph's father had musician friends who gave him guitar lessons. In 1952 both he and brother Robert signed up for the Naval Reserve and he auditioned for the Navy bandmaster. Grasso was talented and he was admitted to the Navy Band. His guitar playing won him an international Navy music contest.

In 1974 he started a company called Seagull Publishing in Los Angeles.

Personal life Grasso moved to Quail Creek resort community in Southern Arizona and gave guitar lessons and held clinics and workshops.