Joel DiBartolo, Longtime Bass Player for Johnny Carson's Tonight Show

In addition to his work with the Tonight Show band, DiBartolo played on more than 60 feature films, including Jaws, Star Wars and Saturday Night Fever, as well as many TV theme songs.

Joel DiBartolo, a bass player and studio musician who performed with Johnny Carson's Tonight Show for nearly two decades, died September 27, 2011, at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 65.

According to news reports, the cause was heart disease and lung cancer.

Over the course of his career, DiBartolo played with several top artists, including Maynard Ferguson, Carmen McRae, Chuck Mangione and Buddy Rich.

He joined the Tonight Show in 1973 and remained with the show until Carson retired in 1992.

More obituary details are available at:

Los Angeles Times

Northern Arizona University