MARIO GROSSI'S HAD A LIFE FILLED WITH MUSIC.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET Senior columnist

LANCASTER - Everything Mario Grossi does revolves around music.

The owner of Mario's Music Store in Lancaster is a dedicated musician, but if asked about his talent he says: ``I just play the drums and act goofy.''

Sometimes that's accurate. As when, for a few years, he billed himself as Tony Zazzarino.

``I saw that name written on the side of a truck going down the street one day and thought, that would really be cool as a pseudonym,'' he said. ``I figured nobody'd forget a name like that, especially if it was associated with a drummer.''

Recently, he decided to drop Zazzarino and go back to being just Mario Grossi, to better identify with his store. He admits that he's a workaholic where the store is concerned.

He spent more than 30 years working as co-owner and manager of the family business, Grossi Tire Co., but music was his forte and the music store his baby.

``I sold it in 2000 and retired,'' he said, ``but I got bored and came back to it.''

Now his two daughters, Lisa Blacker and Katie Grossi, both of Quartz Hill, work with him and he loves it.

``I spent a lot of years working with my parents and I've always felt it's good to have family involved in what you do. The girls just seemed to fit in,'' he said.

Raised in the Antelope Valley, he graduated from Quartz Hill High School. From 1969 to 1974, he played the tuba in the U.S. Air Force and mustered out as a sergeant.

``I was always in a band as a kid,'' he said. ``I also played some football - I was big so it was expected of me - but music was what kept me interested.''

He's toured around the United States and Canada and at one time worked for movie studios in their musical props departments.

That gave him an opportunity to work on the Jerry Lee Lewis movie ``Great Balls of Fire,'' the Charlie Parker movie ``The Bird'' and numerous Elvis Presley documentaries.

Until about a year ago, he said, he played a lot in Las Vegas and Laughlin. He once had his own band, ``The Del Aires,'' and for seven years played the tuba at the now-closed Eidelweiss Restaurant in Palmdale.

Right now he plays tuba in the Santa Clarita Community Band and drums with the local group The Music Connection, featuring vocalist Beverly Jensen; John Leys, trombone; Ed Lloyd, keyboard; and Mike Earls, bass.

He describes himself as an extreme liberal when it comes to the arts but an extreme conservative in politics.

``I think they should teach more dance, theater, voice and instruments in our school systems and put less emphasis on sports,'' he said.

Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster and Palmdale have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk, for a suggested donation of $2.

Monday: Ham slice, sweet potatoes, green beans, creamy coleslaw, apple juice, cookies.

Tuesday: Turkey tetrazzini, peas and carrots, tossed salad, pineapple juice, apple.

Wednesday: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, tomato rice soup, winter squash, garden salad, gelatin w/pears.

Thursday: Chicken casserole, vegetable soup, Spanish rice, corn niblets, marinated beets, citrus cup.

Friday: Swedish meatballs, parsleyed noodles, Normandy vegetables, lettuce salad, tomato juice, tapioca pudding.

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After a life playing in bands, Mario Grossi owns and runs Mario's Music Store with his two daughters.

Bettie Rencoret/Daily News