Frank Sampedro

Frank Sampedro, Billy Talbot and Neil Young (l-r) play at Willie Nelson's 30th anniversary July Fourth picnic in Texas

Frank Sampedro is an American musician and member of the rock and roll band Crazy Horse, known mainly for its longtime collaboration with legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young.

Born in West Virginia and raised in Detroit, Sampedro moved to California as soon as he was old enough to drive. Having spent the next few years playing in different bands, Sampedro joined Crazy Horse in 1975 to record Zuma, after being introduced to the band by his friend Billy Talbot around 1972, following the tragic death of guitarist Danny Whitten.

With the addition of Sampedro, Crazy Horse developed a new, more rigid sound (as opposed to the bluesy sound of the Whitten era), which enabled Neil Young to evolve his skill as a lead guitarist.

Lately, he has been working on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as a personal assistant to bandleader Kevin Eubanks.

Discography

As a member of Crazy Horse:

• Crazy Moon (1978)
• Gone Dead Train: The Best of Crazy Horse 1971-1989 (2005)
• Scratchy: The Complete Reprise Recordings (2005)

As a member of Neil Young & Crazy Horse:

• Zuma (1975)
• Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
• Live Rust (live, 1979)
• Re·ac·tor (1981)
• Life (1987)
• Ragged Glory (1990)
• Weld (live, 1991)
• Sleeps With Angels (1994)
• Broken Arrow (1996)
• Year of the Horse (live, 1997)

Contributions to other Neil Young albums:

• American Stars'n'Bars (1977)
• Comes A Time (1977)
• Trans (1982)
• This Note's For You (1988)
• Freedom (1989)
• Are You Passionate? (2002)

Contributions to records by other artists:

• Glimmer, Kevin Salem's second solo album from 1996 (guitar);
• Harlem, a Shawn Amos album released in 2000 (guitar).

References

• An interview with Frank Sampedro during Greendale tour in Australia: http://www.undercover.com.au/idol/crazyhorse.html
• Another interview from 1996: http://www.thrasherswheat.org/yoth/pancho110196.htm