Corey Spagnolo
September 7, 2026
Corey Spagnolo passed away on September 7, 2026, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Born in Queens, New York, to Francesco “Frank” and Pietrina “Betty” Spagnolo, Corey grew up in an Italian neighborhood with his sister, Linda, before the family moved to New Jersey when he was ten years old. Creativity and music were woven into the Spagnolo family. His father was an accomplished jazz guitarist, his sister played piano, and his mother was an artist. Surrounded by music from an early age, it seemed only natural that Corey would find an instrument of his own. He began taking drum lessons and quickly fell in love with the drums, beginning a relationship with music that would shape the course of his life.
At eighteen, Corey left New Jersey with his lifelong friend Duke Williams to tour the country with their band, Duke Williams and the Extremes, beginning a lifelong career as a professional musician. In 1980, Corey moved to Los Angeles, where the band joined the Chambers Brothers. Over the years, he played alongside an extraordinary collection of musicians, including Richie Sambora, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Womack, Lonnie Jordan of War, Joe Schermie of Three Dog Night, and many others.
Corey and Duke signed with Capricorn Records and Joe Jackson Entertainment. Then, Corey expanded his talents beyond performing, learning recording engineering at Crystal Studios. He went on to engineer numerous songs, writing and deepening an already lifelong connection to the craft of making music.
In 1986, Corey met Becky at The Central, a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood where she booked the talent for the club. They married in 1994 at her parent’s dude ranch, Coulter Lake Guest Ranch in Rifle, Colorado, and in 1998 made their home in Glenwood Springs.
Together, Corey and Becky established Spagnolo’s Restaurant, which became part of their lives and the Glenwood Springs community for the next decade. After a fire forced the restaurant to close, they opened The Corner Gourmet, a small coffee and gift shop. Later, they brought Spagnolo’s back at a new location before eventually closing the restaurant for good.
Corey also spent years painting houses on the side, something he genuinely enjoyed. Whether behind a drum kit, in a recording studio, running a restaurant, or working with his hands, he took pride in everything he did.
No matter where life took Corey, music remained a constant. He continued performing with local bands and remained deeply connected to the music community he loved. He was a founding member of A Band Called Alexis, with whom he played for the last ten years. His bandmates became close friends, and Corey especially loved the time they spent playing and touring together.
Beyond the music, Corey will be remembered for his caring and compassionate nature, his kindness, and a quick wit seasoned with his own unmistakable blend of cynicism. He loved to laugh and especially loved making his family laugh. His nephews will remember him joking, “Who is Alec, and why is he so smart anyway?” Above all, Corey loved his family deeply, and that family most certainly included his beloved dog, Mazie.
Through it all music gave him a career, a community, lifelong friendships, and countless stories—and he never stopped playing.
Corey is survived by his wife, Becky; his sister, Linda (née Spagnolo) Furlong, and her husband, Rocco Guerrieri, niece Kelly, nephew Jason; his sister-in-law, Carey, her husband, Jeff, nephews Aaron, Adam and Zachary, nieces Indyra and Manon, great nephew Diego, great nieces Emma and Margot; his stepmother Liz, stepsister Betsey, Aunt Josephine, and cousins.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Vaudeville Theater, 915 Grand Avenue in Glenwood Springs, on Sunday, September 27, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
