Sing, Sing, Sing It, Mr. Prima!

Louis Prima, Jr. and the Witnesses performed in Arizona last December as part of his Southwest tour. As the 4th child and only son of the legendary singer and entertainer Louis Prima, his horn-driven 10 piece band is dynamic and lots of fun! His upcoming tours will be in Florida, New Jersey, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Las Vegas. I was able to spend some time with him to pose some questions and delve into his interesting background as a singer, composer and entertainer. Shelly Gallichio: When did you start playing and getting a band together? Were your first performances in tribute to your Dad’s music or were you only involved in the music genres of the times (70s, 80s, etc.) Louis Prima, Jr.: When I graduated high school I had no desire to be in the music business. That lasted about a month. After sitting in with several friends’ bands (singing) I got the bug and went in full steam. So in 1983 I started, but that was rock and roll. In 1995, I switched gears and formed a band doing my fathers’ stuff, but the timing was not right. I started putting this version of the band in 2004, but did not solidify the lineup and show until 2020. Did you have a steady gig in Vegas or have you always preferred a “touring” band. Even back in the rock and roll days, I’ve been a touring guy! I love the road. I think you can become complacent sitting in one spot. I