Born in 1893 in Partinico, Sicily by the time he was in his early 20s Musso had traveled across the Atlantic and settled in Madison, Wisconsin. While in Madison Musso operated a pool hall and was said to be involved in the murder of Madison racketeer Anton Navarra in April 1924. During the early days of Prohibition Musso made a name for himself as the bootlegging king operating out of the 'Bush' section of Madison. By the mid 1920s he had moved in on the territory of Rockford, Illinois.