“Bulldoggin’ the Steel“ by Nick Nastos (1962) Rockaphilly / Bill Haley (4K HD)

Born on June 26, 1936, Mathias Nicholas Nastos was one of Bill Haley’s guitar players. He recorded in the early 1960s (“Bulldoggin’ the Steel“) and then joined The Comets as a steel guitarist in 1964 for about a year. In 1965, he formed his own band, Nick Nastos & The Fireballers, and recorded an LP with instrumentals (“Guitars On Fire“). He fronted his own group, The Country Gentlemen (also known by other names), and recorded as Nick Masters and Nick Nantos. He returned to The Comets from 1968 - 1974, becoming the band’s lead guitar player, occasionally singing lead vocals. He later fronted a version of Bill Haley’s Comets that toured the U.S. from 1977 - 1978 while Haley was in temporary retirement. He was the father of country folk singer Sia LaBelle. He died of cancer on April 28, 1995.