Captain Lou Albano, the wrestling star who brought the World Wrestling Federation and the music industry together with his creation of the Rock N’ Wrestling Connection in the 1980s, passed away today after a long illness. Albano’s connection to the music industry began in 1983, when he appeared as Cyndi Lauper’s father in her breakthrough video for “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”; that partnership led to her appearance at a slew of WWF-related events, including the inaugural installment of WrestleMania, not to mention the first of what would go on to be quite a few entanglements between the WWF and the then-fledgling MTV. Albano also recorded an album with and “managed” the crit-cult favorites NRBQ. A few of his musical cameos, after the jump.


“Piper’s Pit” with Cyndi Lauper and Lou Albano



Cyndi Lauper, “She Bop”

Cyndi Lauper, “Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” (which also features appearances by “Classy” Freddie Blassie and Piper’s Pit host Roddy Piper)

NRBQ, “Captain Lou”

Albano was 76.


Legendary pro wrestling manager Captain Lou Albano dies at age 76 [PWTorch]
Piper’s Pit With Cyndi Lauper complete [YouTube]
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To have Fun [Dailymotion]
Cyndi Lauper – She Bop [Dailymotion]
Cyndi Lauper – Goonies Are Good Enough [Dailymotion]
NRBQ – Captain Lou [YouTube]