Jimmy Destri

Who is Jimmy Destri?

Jimmy Destri is an American musician. He played keyboards in the rock band Blondie, and was one of the principal songwriters for the band along with Chris Stein and Deborah Harry. Destri stopped touring with the band in 2004, but remained an official member for several more years. He released a solo album, Heart on a Wall, in 1981.

Destri became interested in music in the late 1950s and early 1960s due to his uncle being a drummer with Joey Dee and the Starlighters. He formed his first band, the 86 Proof, in high school and they performed in local schools. He played in a group named Milk and Cookies in the early 1970s, but was dismissed from the band just before they relocated to the UK. He joined Blondie in 1975, a few months after Clem Burke, using the Farfisa organ as his main instrument.

As Blondie's career progressed, Destri became increasingly interested in synthesizers, and added them along with his Farfisa to the overall band's sound. His sister, Donna Destri, also sang back up on the Blondie song "Living in the Real World."

Destri produced Going Up by Joey Wilson for Modern Records, which was released in October 1980.