Freddy Curci
Encyclopedia
Freddy Curci is a Canadian AOR
rock vocalist and songwriter
best known for his stints in Alias
and Sheriff
.
Curci has a multi-octave vocal range
and holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Note Held in a pop song, for 30 seconds, timed and submitted by University of Houston
, for the ending note of "When I'm With You
."
Curci's vocals earned the Sheriff
song "When I'm With You
" the number 1 spot in 1989 and the Alias
power ballad "More Than Words Can Say
" the number 2 spot in 1990 on the Billboard
charts.
BMI
presented Curci with the Million-airs award for "More Than Words Can Say
."
According to BMI’s
web site, only 1,500 songs have achieved Million-air status (one million air plays) among the 4.5 million songs by 300,000 BMI represented artists.
One million performances is the equivalent of approximately 50,000 broadcast hours, or more than 5.7 years of continuous airplay.
In January 2009, Alias announced the release of their long delayed second album. This album titled Never Say Never
sat unreleased for 18 years. The second album was recorded in 1992 to follow Alias's debut album, but it was never released due to the rapidly evolving music scene of that time where Grunge was the new rage and metal was out. A few of the songs from this “lost” album were re-recorded and appeared on Curci’s solo album Dreamer’s Road, but the rest remained unreleased. Some live performances are expected in 2009 in support of this new album release, but tour dates and band member lineup are yet to be announced.
Curci is one of the few rock vocalists with multi-octave singing ranges
able to hit high notes without resorting to falsetto
.
and other rock music in his teenage years. Aside from opera music, some of Curci's musical influences were Lou Gramm
of Foreigner
and Tom Johnston of the The Doobie Brothers
.
Before Sheriff
, Curci performed in Italian wedding bands in Toronto.
the #2 hit song "More Than Words Can Say
", and the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #18 hit song “Haunted Heart”. He also co-wrote most of the songs on the Alias album, his solo album Dreamer’s Road and the Zion album.
Curci is also a songwriter for the motion picture industry. In 2007, Curci’s songs were featured in several episodes of Army Wives, the most-watched series premiere in the 23 year history of the Lifetime Network. Curci was the primary composer for the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl
(2000–2001), and also wrote the title theme.
Accomplished writers Curci has collaborated with include Steve DeMarchi
; Brett Walker
; Jeff Paris; Romina Arena
; Jason Hook
; his wife Lara Cody
; F. Grossi; Donny Hackett and Douglas Vallance.
(self-titled album), EMI
1990 Haunted Heart EP, EMI
1991 Waiting For Love EP, EMI
1992 Perfect World EP, EMI
2009 Never Say Never
Acappella with Attitude
www.whosyourdaddymusic.com
Soundtrack: Performer / Producer “Perfect World”
1999 - Two Guys and a Girl and a Pizza Place
: Au Revoir Pizza Place (#3.2)
Primary Composer
1999 – Two Guys and a Girl and a Pizza Place
(#3.4)
Primary Composer
2006 – Metal Mania
: Stripped Across America Live
2007 - Army Wives
: After Birth (#1.2) TV Episode [Soundtrack]
Songwriter / Performer: “Whatcha Tryin’ To Do” and “Echoes in the Darkness”
2007 - Army Wives
: Independence Day (#1.5) TV Episode [Soundtrack]
Songwriter / Performer: “Home”
2007 - Army Wives
: Only The Lonely (#1.8) TV Episode [Soundtrack]
Songwriter / Performer “Crazy Day” and “Carrie”
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
rock vocalist and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
best known for his stints in Alias
Alias (band)
Alias was a Canadian album-oriented rock/hard rock supergroup band, formed in 1988 by vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi of the Canadian arena rock band Sheriff , along with Heart founding members Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, and Mike DeRosier.The band released its self-titled debut...
and Sheriff
Sheriff (band)
Sheriff was a Canadian rock band in the early 1980s, best known for their hit song "When I'm with You".-Biography:The band was formed in 1979 in Toronto, Ontario and consisted of vocalist Freddy Curci, guitarist Steve DeMarchi, keyboardist Arnold Lanni, bassist Wolf Hassel and drummer Rob...
.
Curci has a multi-octave vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
and holds the Guinness World Record for Longest Note Held in a pop song, for 30 seconds, timed and submitted by University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, for the ending note of "When I'm With You
When I'm with You
"When I'm with You" is a power ballad by Canadian arena rock band Sheriff. It hit number one in the United States in 1989, four years after the band separated....
."
Curci's vocals earned the Sheriff
Sheriff (band)
Sheriff was a Canadian rock band in the early 1980s, best known for their hit song "When I'm with You".-Biography:The band was formed in 1979 in Toronto, Ontario and consisted of vocalist Freddy Curci, guitarist Steve DeMarchi, keyboardist Arnold Lanni, bassist Wolf Hassel and drummer Rob...
song "When I'm With You
When I'm with You
"When I'm with You" is a power ballad by Canadian arena rock band Sheriff. It hit number one in the United States in 1989, four years after the band separated....
" the number 1 spot in 1989 and the Alias
Alias (band)
Alias was a Canadian album-oriented rock/hard rock supergroup band, formed in 1988 by vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi of the Canadian arena rock band Sheriff , along with Heart founding members Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, and Mike DeRosier.The band released its self-titled debut...
power ballad "More Than Words Can Say
More Than Words Can Say
" More Than Words Can Say" is a power ballad by Canadian rock band Alias. It became a #2 hit in the United States, and reached #1 in Canada in 1990....
" the number 2 spot in 1990 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts.
BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
presented Curci with the Million-airs award for "More Than Words Can Say
More Than Words Can Say
" More Than Words Can Say" is a power ballad by Canadian rock band Alias. It became a #2 hit in the United States, and reached #1 in Canada in 1990....
."
According to BMI’s
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
web site, only 1,500 songs have achieved Million-air status (one million air plays) among the 4.5 million songs by 300,000 BMI represented artists.
One million performances is the equivalent of approximately 50,000 broadcast hours, or more than 5.7 years of continuous airplay.
In January 2009, Alias announced the release of their long delayed second album. This album titled Never Say Never
Never Say Never (Alias album)
Never Say Never, released in 2009, is the second album from the 1990s hard rock band Alias.In early January 2009, Alias announced the release of their long awaited second album. This album, appropriately titled “Never Say Never”, sat unreleased for nearly 18 years. It was recorded in 1992 and was...
sat unreleased for 18 years. The second album was recorded in 1992 to follow Alias's debut album, but it was never released due to the rapidly evolving music scene of that time where Grunge was the new rage and metal was out. A few of the songs from this “lost” album were re-recorded and appeared on Curci’s solo album Dreamer’s Road, but the rest remained unreleased. Some live performances are expected in 2009 in support of this new album release, but tour dates and band member lineup are yet to be announced.
Curci is one of the few rock vocalists with multi-octave singing ranges
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
able to hit high notes without resorting to falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
.
Early influences
Of Italian descent, Curci grew up in Toronto, Canada. At an early age Curci listened mostly to classical opera music. He started listening to Black SabbathBlack Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and other rock music in his teenage years. Aside from opera music, some of Curci's musical influences were Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm is an American rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his role as the lead vocalist and co-writer of many of the songs for the rock band Foreigner. He also had a successful solo career...
of Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
and Tom Johnston of the The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:...
.
Before Sheriff
Sheriff (band)
Sheriff was a Canadian rock band in the early 1980s, best known for their hit song "When I'm with You".-Biography:The band was formed in 1979 in Toronto, Ontario and consisted of vocalist Freddy Curci, guitarist Steve DeMarchi, keyboardist Arnold Lanni, bassist Wolf Hassel and drummer Rob...
, Curci performed in Italian wedding bands in Toronto.
Songwriting career
As a Billboard top 10 hit songwriter, Curci co-wrote with Steve DeMarchiSteve DeMarchi
Steve DeMarchi is a Canadian guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the bands Sheriff and Alias...
the #2 hit song "More Than Words Can Say
More Than Words Can Say
" More Than Words Can Say" is a power ballad by Canadian rock band Alias. It became a #2 hit in the United States, and reached #1 in Canada in 1990....
", and the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #18 hit song “Haunted Heart”. He also co-wrote most of the songs on the Alias album, his solo album Dreamer’s Road and the Zion album.
Curci is also a songwriter for the motion picture industry. In 2007, Curci’s songs were featured in several episodes of Army Wives, the most-watched series premiere in the 23 year history of the Lifetime Network. Curci was the primary composer for the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl is an American sitcom created by Kenny Schwartz and Danny Jacobson. It ran on ABC from March 10, 1998 to May 16, 2001. 81 episodes were transmitted over four seasons....
(2000–2001), and also wrote the title theme.
Accomplished writers Curci has collaborated with include Steve DeMarchi
Steve DeMarchi
Steve DeMarchi is a Canadian guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the bands Sheriff and Alias...
; Brett Walker
Brett Walker
Carl Brett Walker is an American songwriter, musician, and record producer. As a singer/songwriter, his music can be heard on over 300 network television shows, including The Young and the Restless, One Tree Hill, Felicity, CSI: Miami, Everwood, Malcolm in the Middle, Baywatch, and One Life to...
; Jeff Paris; Romina Arena
Romina Arena
Romina Arena is an Italian-American Popera / Operatic pop /Pop Classical Crossover singer songwriter. She was born May 12, 1980 and grew up in Palermo Sicily and now lives in Los Angeles California...
; Jason Hook
Jason Hook
Jason Hook is a Canadian guitarist, record producer, songwriter and session musician.-Biography and Career:...
; his wife Lara Cody
Lara Cody
Laura Ann Cody , better known as Lara Cody, is an American voice actress. She also goes under the name "Deanna Morris." She is best known for her role for playing "Rosemary" in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots.-Anime:*A Little Snow Fairy Sugar -...
; F. Grossi; Donny Hackett and Douglas Vallance.
Alias
1990 AliasAlias (album)
Alias is the debut album from the Canadian rock band Alias, released in 1990 by Capitol Records.The single "More Than Words Can Say" reached #1 in Canada and #2 in the United States. A second single, "Waiting for Love", was released in early 1991 and peaked at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.-...
(self-titled album), EMI
1990 Haunted Heart EP, EMI
1991 Waiting For Love EP, EMI
1992 Perfect World EP, EMI
2009 Never Say Never
Never Say Never (Alias album)
Never Say Never, released in 2009, is the second album from the 1990s hard rock band Alias.In early January 2009, Alias announced the release of their long awaited second album. This album, appropriately titled “Never Say Never”, sat unreleased for nearly 18 years. It was recorded in 1992 and was...
Who's Your Daddy!
2010 Who's Your Daddy! WYD RecordsAcappella with Attitude
www.whosyourdaddymusic.com
Singles with Alias
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US MSR Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
US A.C. | UK Singles UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 1990 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze... |
"More Than Words Can Say More Than Words Can Say " More Than Words Can Say" is a power ballad by Canadian rock band Alias. It became a #2 hit in the United States, and reached #1 in Canada in 1990.... " |
2 | - | 5 | - | Alias |
| 1990 1990 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze... |
"Haunted Heart" | - | 18 | - | - | |
| 1991 1991 in music See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year... |
"Waiting for Love" | 13 | - | 17 | 87 | |
| 1991 1991 in music See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year... |
"Perfect World" | 90 | - | - | - | Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is a 1991 comedy film directed by Stephen Herek starring Christina Applegate.Applegate stars as a teenager whose mother leaves for a two-month summer vacation in Australia, putting all five siblings in the care of a strict tyrannical elderly babysitter... Soundtrack |
Filmography
1991 - Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's DeadDon't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is a 1991 comedy film directed by Stephen Herek starring Christina Applegate.Applegate stars as a teenager whose mother leaves for a two-month summer vacation in Australia, putting all five siblings in the care of a strict tyrannical elderly babysitter...
Soundtrack: Performer / Producer “Perfect World”
1999 - Two Guys and a Girl and a Pizza Place
Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl is an American sitcom created by Kenny Schwartz and Danny Jacobson. It ran on ABC from March 10, 1998 to May 16, 2001. 81 episodes were transmitted over four seasons....
: Au Revoir Pizza Place (#3.2)
Primary Composer
1999 – Two Guys and a Girl and a Pizza Place
Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl is an American sitcom created by Kenny Schwartz and Danny Jacobson. It ran on ABC from March 10, 1998 to May 16, 2001. 81 episodes were transmitted over four seasons....
(#3.4)
Primary Composer
2006 – Metal Mania
Metal Mania
Metal Mania is a block of classic heavy metal/hard rock music videos on VH1 Classic, sometimes hosted by Eddie Trunk.Musicians who have appeared on the show as guests include Rob Zombie, Black Sabbath, Geoff Tate , and the founding members of Judas Priest.The show also includes news of upcoming...
: Stripped Across America Live
2007 - Army Wives
Army Wives
Army Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, their families, and an army husband whose wife is in the army. The series, shot at ABC Studios, premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007...
: After Birth (#1.2) TV Episode [Soundtrack]
Songwriter / Performer: “Whatcha Tryin’ To Do” and “Echoes in the Darkness”
2007 - Army Wives
Army Wives
Army Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, their families, and an army husband whose wife is in the army. The series, shot at ABC Studios, premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007...
: Independence Day (#1.5) TV Episode [Soundtrack]
Songwriter / Performer: “Home”
2007 - Army Wives
Army Wives
Army Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, their families, and an army husband whose wife is in the army. The series, shot at ABC Studios, premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007...
: Only The Lonely (#1.8) TV Episode [Soundtrack]
Songwriter / Performer “Crazy Day” and “Carrie”