Gino Soccio


Gino Soccio is a Canadian disco record producer based in Montreal. His only US Billboard Hot 100 entry was the #48 hit single "Dancer" in 1979, but he did hit #1 on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart twice. "Dancer" peaked at #46 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1979. Soccio's third biggest hit, "It's Alright" / "Look At Yourself", from his album, Face to Face, reached #2 for 5 weeks also on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. "Turn It Around" was released only as a single in 1984.

Early life

Soccio was born in Verdun, Quebec, of Italian descent.

Career

Soccio got his start in disco when Montreal producer Pat Deserio called him and asked if he would play keyboards and help compose for the Kebekelektrik album. Prior to this, Soccio was working as a local session musician. The Kebekelektrik album helped to launch Soccio's career, as his composition "War Dance" became a hit on U.S. dance floors, a song Soccio himself had deemed "filler".
In 1978 Soccio released a dance single, "The Visitors", which was later remixed by Ouimet. That year he also played keyboards on the Bombers album Bombers.
His debut solo album "Outline" was released in 1979 and contained the hit "Dancer"; the album received critical acclaim and brought him international recognition.
In 1979, Soccio also recorded a disco album with Guy Lafleur which cost CAD$100 000 to produce.
In the UK he received airplay from Robbie Vincent on BBC Radio London, and Greg Edwards on Capital Radio on imported RFC Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records.
He also assembled and produced the disco studio group, Witch Queen, best known for their hit, "Bang A Gong" / "All Right Now". It peaked at number eight on the US Hot Dance/Disco chart.

Discography

The discography of Gino Soccio consists of four studio albums, three compilations and seventeen singles.
;Studio albums
;Compilation albums
;Singles
;Notes