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Antonio Sparbaro was born on June 27, 1897 in New Orleans, Louisiana to an immigrant Sicilian family. Early in his career he played with the Frayle Brothers Band, possibly as early as 1911, and the Reliance Band of Papa Jack Laine. He did side work with Merritt Brunies and Carl Randall.

He joined the Original Dixieland Jass Band for their initial recordings in 1917 and he became its leader in the 1940s, remaining a member of the ensemble until its dissolution in the 1960s. He was the only founding member still in the group at that time. Sbarbaro composed for the group, writing the tune Mourning Blues among others. He remained a fixture of Dixieland jazz performance for most of his life. He played later in life in New Orleans with Miff Mole, Big Chief Moore, Pee Wee Erwin, and Eddie Condon. 

He played at the New York World’s Fair in 1941 and with Connee Boswell in the 1950s. Quitting music in the 1960s due to the popularity of rock & roll, drummer Tony Sparbaro, known professionally as Tony Sbarbaro or Tony Spargo, passed away on October 30, 1969 in New York City. He was the drummer of the Original Dixieland Jass Band for over 50 years and their tune Darktown Strutters’ Ball was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006

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