Leo Nocentelli

Leo Nocentelli (born June 15, 1946) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of the funk band The Meters.\n', '

Nocentelli grew up in the Irish Channel and Seventh Ward neighborhoods of New Orleans. He was encouraged by his father to pursue music. He played ukulele at an early age and started on guitar at age twelve. He gravitated to jazz and was influenced by jazz guitarists Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith and Kenny Burrell. His first professional gig was at age thirteen. By age fourteen he was backing notable musicians such as Otis Redding and Clyde McPhatter. He played jazz, Dixieland, rhythm and blues, and rock.(p2) He joined the Hawketts and developed a reputation as a guitarist. At age seventeen he did session work for Motown acts including the Supremes, Temptations, and Spinners.\n', '

In 1964 he was drafted and ser…