Joe Bonamassa

Bonamassa in 2009, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Joseph Leonard Bonamassa

Place of Birth: New Hartford, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: May 8, 1977

Ethnicity:
*father – Italian, including Sicilian
*mother – Polish (three quarters), English, German, and Irish

Joe Bonamassa is an American blues rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

Joe’s paternal grandfather is Leonard D. Bonamassa, Sr. (the son of Dominick “Buddha” Bonamassa and Girloma “Mae” LoPresti). Leonard was born in New York. Dominick was the son of Leonardo Michele Bonamassa/Bonamason and Modesta/Oresta Balzano, who were Italian, with Modesta being from Missanello, Potenza, Basilicata. Girloma was the daughter of Stefano LoPresti and Caterina Arcona, who were also Italian, with Caterina being from Palermo, Sicily.

Joe’s paternal grandmother was named Bertha M. Decesare (the daughter of Peter Decesare). Bertha was born in New York.

Joe’s maternal grandfather was Joseph S. Pal (the son of Joseph S. Pal and Mary F. Cislo). Joe’s grandfather Joseph’s parents were Polish.

Joe’s maternal grandmother was Leona M. Bagniefski (the daughter of Leon Bagniefski and Hazell S. Hammon). Hazell was born in Minnesota, the daughter of Ernest Oscar Hammon and Alice Brown, whose father was German and whose mother was Irish.

Sources: Joe’s paternal grandfather, Leonard D. Bonamassa, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituaries of Joe’s paternal great-grandparents, Dominick “Buddha” Bonamassa and Girloma “Mae” (LoPresti) Bonamassa – http://www.findagrave.com

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