NASHVILLE — Veteran soundman/backline tech/tour manager/FOH and monitor mixer Jamie Lupinetti died March 18 after a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and bone cancer. Lupinetti mixed FOH but found his calling as a monitor engineer, where his tech skills and ability to get along with artists made him a natural in that role. He was 67.
Born September 30, 1952 in Rochester, NY, Lupinetti’s roots in live sound run deep, back to the days in the 1970’s when he worked with Joel Silverman, Ricardo Torpey and Ross Ritto at Silverfish, a successful sound company that eventually morphed into what today is the Parnelli Award-winning soundco Sound Image. Among Silverfish’s accounts that Lupinetti worked with was Jimmy Buffet, whose “You Had To Be There” album was recorded live at concert stops during his 1978 tour.
Lupinetti mixed FOH, but seemed to have found his calling as a monitor engineer, where his easygoing personality and solid work ethic — combined with his tech skills and ability to get along with artists — made him a natural in that role. Among the performers he worked with included Jesse Colin Young, Emmy Lou Harris, Roseanne Cash and many others, including country duo Montgomery Gentry, for whom he also served as road manager.
Given his decades of experience, Lupinetti was affectionately referred to as “Dad” or “Pops” by his friends and colleagues and was well-known for going out of his way to mentor or help out novices trying to get a foothold in the industry.
Outside of pro audio, Lupinetti found passion in many things including music, canoeing, the Nashville Predators and his grandkids. James is survived by his sons Justin Lupinetti and Benjamin Rodney Lupinetti, three grandchildren, his sister Laduska and brothers Vincent, Rick and Michael Lupinetti. He also leaves behind many friends and associates throughout the industry and will not soon be forgotten. At press time, no date for a memorial service had been announced.
