CATHEDRAL CITY, CA – FRONT of HOUSE recently learned of the passing of veteran touring audio engineer Rick “Ricco” Massei earlier this year. He “spent his entire 45 year career as an engineer, primarily in the monitor hot seat,” noted his widow, Annie Massei. “For 25 years he spent over 220 days on the road, touring. He worked with/for the likes of Stan Miller, Patrick Stansfield, Mike Stahl, Larry Estrin, Randy “Baja” Fletcher, Danny Leake, and many others.”
Annie Massei penned an obituary for her late husband; it follows below:
Touring audio veteran Rick “Ricco” Massei passed away unexpectedly on January 15, 2022, at home in Cathedral City, California. He spent 45 years traveling the globe as a monitor/FOH engineer, broadcast mixer, tour manager, and corporate events production specialist.
Ricco worked for the giants of audio and event production starting with industry icon Stanley Miller. Over the years this list grew to include Larry Estrin, Patrick Stansfield, Robert (Bob) Ludwig, Bob Goldstein, Mike Stahl, and Al Siniscal.
Encompassing all music genres, his career included 22 years with vocal virtuoso Bobby McFerrin and his ensembles. Key touring clients included pop hit-makers England Dan & John Ford Coley, Waylon Jennings, Bette Midler, the Everly Brothers, The Manhattan Transfer, Sade, Chicago, the Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Patti LaBelle, Melissa Manchester, and Jeff Golub.
Ricco served as audio compound manager at five Super Bowl half-time productions, Salt Lake City Winter Olympics 2002, and World Cup XV; handled live audio duties for four U.S. Presidents – Clinton, Bush, Reagan & Carter, and was a member of the broadcast audio team for Saudi Arabia‘s Centennial Celebration.
His sharp ears, quick problem-solving mind, and attention to production detail were Ricco’s calling card. On his inaugural pro tour in 1975 as roadie and monitor engineer for Stevie Wonder, Ricco celebrated his 22nd birthday in Japan. This quickly led to tours with Parker McGee, Seals & Crofts and El Chicano.
Ricco loved touring, the ultimate “no excuses, no do-overs” kind of job. He excelled in managing the distinct challenges of each new venue, and delivering live entertainment on time, every day. He loved it all: managing concerts in ancient Roman amphitheaters or on the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival stage to mixing music award shows or live news broadcasts; dispensing crisp audio feeds for celebrity weddings and dusty state fair stages to mixing in remote trucks for global boxing event audiences.
Born in Blackwell, Oklahoma, Ricco was a member of the Audio Engineering Society, IBEW 45, and IATSE 695. Ricco was 68 years old and leaves behind Annie, his wife of 38 years, three brothers, a sister and extended family from California to New York and Sicily. It was a wonderful life.
