Alfred F. Viola, known professionally as Al Viola, was an American jazz
guitarist born on June 16, 1919, in Brooklyn to an Italian family. He learned to
play guitar and mandolin during his teenage years. Viola's career began with
enlistment in the Army during World War II, where he played in a jazz band from
1942 to 1945. Post-war, he formed a trio with Page Cavanaugh and bassist Lloyd
Pratt, appearing in films like Romance on the High Seas and performing with
Frank Sinatra. Viola's collaboration with Sinatra spanned 25 years, including
over several hundred studio recordings and ...