Father of Nancy Lee and Tano Costa. Father-in-law of Justin Stanley.
Founded record label DCP.
Former head of A&R at ABC-Paramount Records.
In the early 1980s, Costa scored again as an artist with a hit with his 10-year-old daughter Nikka titled "Out Here on My Own". The two were planning a follow-up when Costa died of a heart attack on January 19, 1983 in New York.
Costa received his fourth Grammy nomination for orchestrating what became another signature song for Sinatra, "Theme from New York, New York".
He discovered singer Paul Anka.
He worked on several hit albums by Frank Sinatra, including Sinatra and Strings and My Way.
Grandfather of Sugar McQueen and Suede Stanley (Nikka's children).