American guitarist, Al Di Meola, known for his jazz fusion music was born on 22nd July 1954 in New Jersey. He was inspired by artists like Elvis Presley and The Ventures, leading to an interest in learning to play the guitar. His music teacher encouraged him to take up the Jazz genre. In 1971, he attended the Berklee College of Music. At 19, he was hired to play for the band Return to Forever. His contribution to three albums of the band earned them the Top 40 position on the US Billboard Pop Album Chart. After the band dissolved, he began his solo journey. He received a gold certification for the album, ‘Elegant Gypsy’ in 1977. He collaborated with musicians like Paco de Lucia and John McLaughlin to create the album ‘Friday Night in San Francisco’ which sold over 2 million copies globally. For his work, the Berklee College of Music awarded him an honorary doctorate in music in 2018.
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