Al Capps obit

Allan Alfonzo Capps

April 26, 1939  -  June 7, 2018 

He was not on the list.

CAPPS, Allan Alfonzo, age 79, passed away peacefully June 7, 2018 at his residence with family at his bedside. A Private Memorial will be held in Los Angeles, California. Allan was born in Arkansas on April 26, 1939, son of the late Alfonzo and Opal (Long) Capps. As an iconic member of the Hollywood Music Industry, he arranged, composed and produced albums for many artists, including Andy Williams, Sonny and Cher, Helen Reddy, Liza Minnelli, The Osmonds, Johnny Mathis, Sammy Davis Jr., Bobby Vinton, The Supremes, Shania Twain, The Ventures, Jennifer Warnes, The Lennon Sisters, Disney...and many more.

He composed the hit "Half Breed" for Cher. He was a multi-instrumentalist and played on records by The Everly Brothers and Frank Sinatra, amongst others. He scored music for more than twenty films. He composed the music for numerous commercials, such as Pepsi, Milk, Mercedes, Cadillac, Budweiser and Hilton.

Beyond his accomplishments, Allan was respectfully known for his calm and humble nature, acts of kindness, words of compassion and strong work ethic. He was someone with whom everyone in the music industry wanted to work.

Allan is survived by his daughter, Lisa Capps; granddaughter, Georgia Brewer and son-in-law, Don Brewer. He is pre-deceased by his father; Alfonzo Capps; mother, Opal Capps; beloved wife; Judith Capps, and his son; Aaron Allan Capps.

"I think a little bit of kindness and a smile makes all the difference in the world." (Al Capps, 2009)

Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, he produced and arranged albums for popular artists such as Cher, Andy Williams, Helen Reddy, José Feliciano, Vicki Lawrence, and Liza Minnelli, and delivered film music for more than twenty films. As a musician, he played on albums by The Everly Brothers, Gábor Szabó, and Frank Sinatra. Later in life, he made music for commercials of international brands.

Capps produced and arranged albums for many artists, including Andy Williams, Helen Reddy, Vikki Carr, José Feliciano, Liza Minnelli, The Osmonds, Cher, Jennifer Warnes, The Lennon Sisters, The Ventures, and The Cats. In the seventies he was a fixed arranger of Snuff Garrett.

During sessions he sometimes took part in the background choir, such as on the album Introducing of Sparks. He also is a multi-instrumentalist and played on records by The Everly Brothers, Gábor Szabó, Bobby Vinton, and Frank Sinatra among others. He also recorded music himself, such as in 1971 the promo single of Jesus Christ, Superstar (cover version).

He made film music for more than twenty films, including The Windsplitter (1971), Sasquatch, the Legend of Bigfoot (1977), Buffalo Rider (1978), Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Sharky's Machine (1981), The Cannonball Run (1981), Stroker Ace (1983), and Flawless (1999), and a handful of television films.

Capps was working in the music industry as late as 2014. In 2007 he issued the album Great Easy-Listening Hits Of The '60s under the name The Al Capps Orchestra.[citation needed] In his later years he also made music for commercials of brands such as Pepsi, Mercedes Swatch, Cadillac, Budweiser, and Hilton.