Andy Taravella, popular local drummer, remembered

Scott Tady, Beaver County Times
·3 min read

Beaver Valley musicians have been posting memorial tributes to popular local drummer Andy Taravella Jr., who died Jan. 1 at the age of 49.

"Such a sweet loving guy, was always there for me," Aliquippa soul-blues bandleader Dan Bubien said about Taravella in one of many Facebook homages from fellow musicians. "A titan of a drummer and absolute monster of a musician whom I always looked up to. We played and made a lot of music together."

Andy Taravella seen in his common position, behind a drum kit, in this case at Pittsburgh Winery.
Andy Taravella seen in his common position, behind a drum kit, in this case at Pittsburgh Winery.

Taravella most recently drummed for Nicky Mo and The Mamalukes, which confirmed his death on the band's Facebook page, where there's footage of Taravella leading that rocking blues band in a Dec. 9 performance at Jergel's Rhythm Grille.

Live music fans enjoyed Taravella's drum work for a variety of bands like Dan Bubien & The Delta Struts, Top-40/classic rock group Rudy Zetz and Fourth & Main, power-trio Tyrants of Tolerance, rockers Eviction, country-western act Rick Ramsey, and blues stalwarts Billy The Kid & The Regulators, with whom Taravella toured throughout Florida and the Midwest.

Andy Taravella Jr. (second from left) on a Florida tour date with Beaver County based blues band Billy The Kid & The Regulators.
Andy Taravella Jr. (second from left) on a Florida tour date with Beaver County based blues band Billy The Kid & The Regulators.

Billy The Kid frontman Billy Evanochko said a tribute show is being planned for Feb. 12, at the Norwood Inn, McKees Rocks, near Taravella's home in Stowe Township. Evanochko said he will co-host the show with Taravella's son, Kai. Notable musical collaborators like Bubien, Gary Ripper, Joe Munroe, Crash McCracken, David Granati, Don Cameron and Bobby Eaton will be invited to take the stage, drawing inspiration from their years of jamming with Taravella in gigs and benefits throughout the Beaver Valley and Pittsburgh.

"Andy was my friend for 25 years and my drummer for over a decade," Evanochko said. "He was my 'Bruddah.' That’s what called each other. I’m really going to miss him. This one hurts a lot."

Bubien said a big part of Taravella's legacy will be how he stood ready to play drums for anybody who needed him.

"He really did," Bubien said. "If you had a drummer cancel, call Andy. If you're trying to put together some kind of jam night, call Andy. If you're in need of a fill-in or trying to do anything and need a drummer call Andy. It's amazing if you think about it how many musicians and bands he played with. And everyone just loved him."

Andy Taravella Jr. brought countless smiles with his drumming skills for Beaver Valley and Pittsburgh bands.
Andy Taravella Jr. brought countless smiles with his drumming skills for Beaver Valley and Pittsburgh bands.

Cody James Fritzley, drummer for blues-rockers Bobby Thompson & The Groove, said Taravella mentored a lot of younger drummers.

"Always tossing work my way, I couldn’t take it 90 percent of the time because of work or being booked already," Fritzley said on Facebook. "He even contacted me when he heard that I had lost my wallet and like $350 cash in Memphis a few years back and offered to wire me money after he got paid from his deejaying gig that night. Just a beautiful man. Pittsburgh lost a huge staple in the drumming community."

Funeral services will take place Friday, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Szal Funeral Home, 238 Helen St., McKees Rocks. The obituary does not list a cause of death. Family and friends posted that Taravella had been experiencing health issues recently and was having difficulty walking.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Andy Taravella, popular local drummer, remembered by fellow musicians