Richie Rosenberg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg is an American trombonist, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, now living in Mendham, New Jersey. He is best known as a member of the The Max Weinberg 7, the house band on the NBC television talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien, for which he also performs in skits such as "In the Year 2000." He is also commonly the butt of O'Brien's jokes during his monologues or interviews in which LaBamba is often implied to be homosexual; LaBamba responds with chagrin, or a few times, hides his face behind a sheet of music.
Since 1976, he has been a member of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. LaBamba has also recorded with such performers as Bruce Springsteen, Ricky Martin, Little Steven, and Joe Cocker, often as a part of the Miami Horns. He has toured with Diana Ross and Springsteen on his Seeger Sessions Band Tour. LaBamba also leads his own band, LaBamba and the Hubcaps, as well as a big band named 18 Pieces of Soul.
In 1999, LaBamba performed on the Special Olympics' "Very Special Christmas" television special. This event, hosted by the President and Mrs. Clinton at the White House, was broadcast nationally on TNT.
On May 3rd, 2007, LaBamba performed the National Anthem at the Golden State Warriors' playoff game (game 6) vs. the Dallas Mavericks. With Conan being in San Francisco that week filming his show, LaBamba was invited to perform the Star Spangled Banner at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.[1] He later sang a spoof of the Star Spangled Banner on Late Night, asking the viewers to forgive him for "singing so off-key."
His nickname is sometimes written as two words (La Bamba) although his web site generally shows the nickname as one word with a capital B in the middle (LaBamba).
