Meco Monardo was born in Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania, United States, on November 29, 1939[1][2] to parents of Italian descent.
[1] After serving in the US Army, Meco moved to New York City and joined Kai Winding's[1] four-trombone band, and then from 1965 to 1974 he went on as a studio musician.
Originally not inclined toward pop music, Meco's heart changed when he heard Petula Clark's "Downtown."
He began arranging for musicians, for example the horn section on Tommy James' "Crystal Blue Persuasion" and the Neil Diamond series of Coca-Cola commercials.
As a session musician he played the trombone with acts like Tommy James, Diana Ross, and David Barretto.
His solo on the single "I'm Coming Out" is notable because of the rarity of trombone features on post-big-band era pop records.
[3] Around 1973, Meco and Tony Bongiovi were part of a trio that formed the production company Disco Corporation of America.
The team of Meco, Bongiovi, Jay Ellis, and Harold Wheeler produced the 1974 Gloria Gaynor hit "Never Can Say Goodbye."
[2] On the picture's opening day, Wednesday, May 25, 1977, Meco attended the 20th Century-Fox soon-to-be blockbuster hit Star Wars.
Meco then got the idea to make a disco version of the score by John Williams and contacted Neil Bogart at Casablanca Records to pitch the project.
Tony is a frustrated drummer and Lance is a guitar genius, so they would make sure the rhythm section was always "smoking" under the very sophisticated arrangements and concepts that Harold and I started with.
For a period of four months there was even a show band assembled to perform to Meco's disco music in public venues.