John Taglieri
Encyclopedia
John Taglieri is an American musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and record label owner. Born and raised in New Jersey
, he attended college for sound engineering in New York City and has played in various New Jersey bands as a drummer, lead guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist. He released his first solo album Leap of Faith in 1999 on his own record company Leap Dog Music. His sixth & seventh independent releases, Lives & "Lives II", was a 2009 grouping of EPs and books. He is officially sponsored by Ovation Guitars. A persistent touring musician, much of his music is acoustic or in the AOR rock style.
, and raised in the town of North Bergen, New Jersey
, on the western side of the Hudson River
. He began taking guitar lessons at age five and continued for two years, eventually quitting for a year to play drums, then returning to play guitar. He also learned to play bass guitar
, keyboard
, piano
, trumpet
, and sing. His first recordings were in early high school on a cheap 4 track recorder with his friends. He began playing and recording music professionally at age 15, and went on to earn a degree in Audio Engineering
from The Center for the Media Arts in New York City.
bands as either lead guitarist, drummer, bassist, keyboardist, or vocalist (lead and background). These bands have released various independent albums and toured on the local, regional, and national levels.
The first real band Taglieri played in was American Heartbeat, where he was lead guitar and background vocalist. They played original music and Bruce Springsteen
covers at show, fairs, and festivals for about two years before breaking up. After the breakup of American Heartbeat, Taglieri again played lead guitar and background vocals for the band Sneaks Noise. They released an album in 1988 titled A Surge Of Existence which sold some 1600 copies, and were successful in the college touring and radio circuit. He also served as a tour musician for the original and cover group Dr. Max. Taglieri played drums and sang lead and background vocals for a U.S. tour that encompassed over 260 live shows in one year. After the year touring with Dr. Max, he landed a job as the drummer and backing vocalist for the short-lived band Dayzanu. They played at the Beacon Theater in New York City and the now defunt Capitol Theater
in Passaic, New Jersey
.
In the early 1990s Taglieri founded the band Big Trouble with his friend, John Calendrillo. With an AOR sound, they received solid college airplay with the 6 song EP they released. With Taglieri as their frontman, they had a busy touring schedule in the Upper East Coast, doing a regional tour to support the album. During the tour, they played with Rick Derringer
on the Reebok River Stage in New York City. The band broke up after experiencing personnel problems. Taglieri then joined the cover band King Tod, which had developed a decent following in the Northeast United States and did covers of classic 70's, 80's, and 90's rock. They played constantly for about 3 years, with Taglieri at different times playing guitar, bass, keyboards, and always sang. Taglieri and the King Tod drummer Tony Marchesani then joined the local cover band Bachelor Party, which did extensive local touring.
In the spring of 1997, while still working a day job and playing night gigs with Bachelor Party, Taglieri began writing prolifically. He had 190 individual songs by summer. He picked 30 to consider for a CD, and that September he began a period of recording that lasted an entire year. He did vocals and played every instrument on the album except keyboard, which were played by the session engineer Bill Colletti. After he finished recording he took the mixes to Platinum Studios, where it was mastered by Bob Allecca. He released the solo CD Leap of Faith on January 12, 1999.
He released Leap of Faith officially under Leap Productions, with the music publishing registered under ASCAP. He did all promotion and distribution himself. The album was being sold at Sam Goody
, Tower Records
, Compact Disc World, Borders Books, and Amazon.com
. Within a fews months he had secured spots on major radio stations for interviews and airplay, including performances and interviews on WTSR
and WPLJ
's Scott and Todd Morning Show in New York. The album was chosen as "1999 Pop Male CD of the Year" by Kweevaks Tracks, a large independent music website, as well as being in the Top 5 on the Rock Tracks website. In July 1999, the online retailer and indie music site Digital Cuts chose Taglieri as their Digital Cuts Artist of the month.
In 2000 A2 Records took an interest in the album after seeing Taglieri perform at the Ulstrasound Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada
. Not long after he finished his initial self-financed supporting tour for the album, A2 signed a one-record worldwide licensing deal for the Leap of Faith. They released an identical version of the CD in Europe in July 2000, particularly in Tower Records - UK
and Virgin Megastores - UK. A2 secured airplay in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. A2 also released the album in the United States. To date, the CD has sold over 7,500 units worldwide, and is currently no longer available except in digital format.
Half & Half (2003)
His second solo release, Half & Half, was released on September 23, 2003 through Leap Dog Music. It was a 12 song album album with six studio tracks and six live tracks. All tracks are acoustic. The live tracks are from various shows over a two-year period, mostly from the Bottom Line
in New York City, the same show where Taglieri was invited to open for guitar legend and Triumph
founder Rik Emmett
. The studio tracks were all new songs written by Taglieri and produced by Doug Mackie. It includes guest musicians Larry Chaney of the Edwin McCain Band, Taglieri's friend John Calendrillo, and guitarist Neil Rambaldi. It was released on Amazon.com, Borders Books & Music, Best Buy
, Tower Records, and CD Baby
. He started an acoustic tour on September 15, 2003 to support the album. The CD helped Taglieri earn the "UIMA
Pop/Rock Artist of the Year" award.
2005–2008 albums
He later released his third 12-track album, NOW, on Leap Dog Music, keeping up his touring schedule with the new material. His fourth album, Wide Awake & Dreaming, was released on Leap Dog Music in April 2007. The 2008 Everything We Are EP was Taglieri's fifth release and was a departure from his usual acoustic style, and written with his friend and guitarist Brad Whitley. An extensive tour was booked to promote the CD along with a successful promotional tour with FYE
.
Lives Volume I and II (2009)
Lives (April 2009) is a series of EP's and books chronicling the fictional characters Cate and Max, both professed unlucky rejects on a journey of discovery. Taglieri and his co-writer Brad Whitley had contacted storywriter Gil Gonzalez to formulate the combination of books and EPs, as well as graphic designer Tony Marchesani. The recordings for Lives were done at Dawg Pound Studios, with Taglieri & Brad Whitley handling most of the recording. Additional recordings were done at BoogieMan Studios in Nashville by Lee J. Turner (Darius Rucker Band) and Jason Gambill (Lady Antebellum
), as well as at Room 56 in Congers, New York
by Brian Fechino
(Pat McGee Band
). Lives Volume II, released in October 2009, was the second edition of the LIVES Project. It continued the story from Lives both musically and in book form.
in 1982, is keyboardist, also playing harmonica and guitar. Dave Willard is on bass/vocals, and Rob "Action" Jackson is on drums and vocals. In November 2010 they released their debut album Forward. The band toured through November and December 2010 to support the CD. Rob Jackson parted ways from the band in January 2011, Brad Whitley & Dave Willard left the band in March 2011. The current lineup of the band consists of Taglieri, Darby, Michelle "Wolfie" Wolf (Guitar, vocals), Luke Kessel (bass, vocals), & Pete Green (drums). Karl Dietel (keyboards, guitar, vocals) also performs with the band on occasion. As of the end of 2011, Taglieri has put TAG on indefinite hiatus to focus on other endeavors.
Taglieri has sold over 16,000 CDs worldwide during his career to date.
, where he performed a total of 10 times, for up to 50,000 people at the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
on five separate occasions, 40,000 people at Shea Stadium
, 30,000 people at the Iowa State Fair
, and over six times at the University of Mary Washington
.
In 1999 he jammed on a stage with Little Richard
, and has also shared the stage with Rik Emmett
, Edwin McCain
, The Gin Blossoms, Gavin DeGraw
, Chuck Berry
, Jeffrey Gaines
, Sister Hazel
, Michael Tolcher
, Marc Broussard
, Dennis DeYoung
, Foreigner
, Firehouse (band), Charlie Daniels
, Brian Vander Ark
, The Pat McGee Band, Indigo Girls
, Butch Walker
, Zac Brown, Blessid Union of Souls
, Josh Kelley
, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
, Francisco Vidal, Hootie & The Blowfish
, Keaton Simons
, Shawn Mullins
, David Ryan Harris
and Virginia Coalition
. He has performed for the NFL
, Major League Baseball
, NASCAR
, Major League Soccer
, and various minor league baseball
teams around the Northeast.
Taglieri has also toured for the US Military playing shows for the Navy at the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia
, Naval Air Station Sigonella
in Sicily, Souda Bay Naval Base in Greece, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples, Italy
, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
, Naval Air Station Jacksonville
, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
, Naval Station Mayport
, the Marines at Camp LeJeune (NC), and the Army at Fort Sam Houston
(TX) and Fort Stewart
(GA) & Fort Knox
(KY). He performs over 200 dates per year in 30 states. He is currently booked by Ari Nisman at Degy Booking, as well as Chip Seligman and Rob Casey at James Turner Productions.
, News 12 New Jersey
, ESPN
, ESPN2
, Speed (TV channel) and more.
Taglieri has been included in several books on music marketing throughout his career. Indie Music Marketing guru Bob Baker has included chapters about Taglieri in his books Branding Yourself Online and The Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook, as well as the The Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook Encore Edition due to Taglieri's success as an indie artist. Publicist and Cyber PR owner Ariel Hyatt
has also included stories and mentions of Taglieri in her "Music Success In Nine Weeks" book series.
and Auralex.
, Marshall Amplification
, Curt Mangan Strings, and In-Tune Guitar Picks.
Elite electric guitar, a Samick Valley Arts Pro model, and Ovation 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars. He owns a collection of guitars & amps including:
is one of his biggest influences on guitar and for vocals, and has also referenced Collin Raye
for vocals, Steve Perry
and the bands Journey
, Boston
, Foreigner
, Survivor
, and Triumph
. He has cited an affinity for pure Album-oriented rock
, including musicians popular in the 1980s such as Bon Jovi
. Taglieri has also stated he is influenced by modern bands such as Third Eye Blind
, Train
, Matchbox 20, Edwin McCain
, & Vertical Horizon
, with Pat Monahan from Train being one of his favorite vocalists.
Video
Music
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, he attended college for sound engineering in New York City and has played in various New Jersey bands as a drummer, lead guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist. He released his first solo album Leap of Faith in 1999 on his own record company Leap Dog Music. His sixth & seventh independent releases, Lives & "Lives II", was a 2009 grouping of EPs and books. He is officially sponsored by Ovation Guitars. A persistent touring musician, much of his music is acoustic or in the AOR rock style.
Early life
John Taglieri was born in Hoboken, New JerseyHoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, and raised in the town of North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
, on the western side of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. He began taking guitar lessons at age five and continued for two years, eventually quitting for a year to play drums, then returning to play guitar. He also learned to play bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, and sing. His first recordings were in early high school on a cheap 4 track recorder with his friends. He began playing and recording music professionally at age 15, and went on to earn a degree in Audio Engineering
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
from The Center for the Media Arts in New York City.
Early career
Since graduating, Taglieri has served in various New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
bands as either lead guitarist, drummer, bassist, keyboardist, or vocalist (lead and background). These bands have released various independent albums and toured on the local, regional, and national levels.
The first real band Taglieri played in was American Heartbeat, where he was lead guitar and background vocalist. They played original music and Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
covers at show, fairs, and festivals for about two years before breaking up. After the breakup of American Heartbeat, Taglieri again played lead guitar and background vocals for the band Sneaks Noise. They released an album in 1988 titled A Surge Of Existence which sold some 1600 copies, and were successful in the college touring and radio circuit. He also served as a tour musician for the original and cover group Dr. Max. Taglieri played drums and sang lead and background vocals for a U.S. tour that encompassed over 260 live shows in one year. After the year touring with Dr. Max, he landed a job as the drummer and backing vocalist for the short-lived band Dayzanu. They played at the Beacon Theater in New York City and the now defunt Capitol Theater
Capitol Theatre (Passaic)
The Capitol Theatre was an entertainment venue located at the intersection of Monroe Street and Central Avenue in Passaic, New Jersey. Built in 1926 as a vaudeville house, the Capitol later served as a movie theater and a venue for rock concerts.Throughout the 1970s and into the mid 1980s, the...
in Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
.
In the early 1990s Taglieri founded the band Big Trouble with his friend, John Calendrillo. With an AOR sound, they received solid college airplay with the 6 song EP they released. With Taglieri as their frontman, they had a busy touring schedule in the Upper East Coast, doing a regional tour to support the album. During the tour, they played with Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
on the Reebok River Stage in New York City. The band broke up after experiencing personnel problems. Taglieri then joined the cover band King Tod, which had developed a decent following in the Northeast United States and did covers of classic 70's, 80's, and 90's rock. They played constantly for about 3 years, with Taglieri at different times playing guitar, bass, keyboards, and always sang. Taglieri and the King Tod drummer Tony Marchesani then joined the local cover band Bachelor Party, which did extensive local touring.
Leap Dog Music
In 1999 he started the private company Leap Dog Music, an independent record label and publishing company. Taglieri also owns and operates Dawg Pound Studios, a full service recording studio since 2005. Taglieri has recorded all of his own CDs there since 2005, as well as CDs by various local artists. He has also recorded voice overs for various TV commercials.Solo albums
Leap of Faith (1999)In the spring of 1997, while still working a day job and playing night gigs with Bachelor Party, Taglieri began writing prolifically. He had 190 individual songs by summer. He picked 30 to consider for a CD, and that September he began a period of recording that lasted an entire year. He did vocals and played every instrument on the album except keyboard, which were played by the session engineer Bill Colletti. After he finished recording he took the mixes to Platinum Studios, where it was mastered by Bob Allecca. He released the solo CD Leap of Faith on January 12, 1999.
He released Leap of Faith officially under Leap Productions, with the music publishing registered under ASCAP. He did all promotion and distribution himself. The album was being sold at Sam Goody
Sam Goody
Sam Goody was a music and entertainment retailer in the United States and United Kingdom, and was owned and operated by Trans World Entertainment which also runs FYE, Saturday Matinee, and Suncoast Motion Picture Company. It specialized in music, video, and video game sales...
, Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
, Compact Disc World, Borders Books, and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
. Within a fews months he had secured spots on major radio stations for interviews and airplay, including performances and interviews on WTSR
WTSR
WTSR is a non-commercial radio station broadcasting from The College of New Jersey , servicing Mercer County and Bucks County, Pennsylvania as well as broadcasting over the internet.-History:...
and WPLJ
WPLJ
WPLJ is a radio station in New York City owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media. WPLJ shares studio facilities with sister station WABC inside 2 Penn Plaza in midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building. The station currently plays a Hot Adult...
's Scott and Todd Morning Show in New York. The album was chosen as "1999 Pop Male CD of the Year" by Kweevaks Tracks, a large independent music website, as well as being in the Top 5 on the Rock Tracks website. In July 1999, the online retailer and indie music site Digital Cuts chose Taglieri as their Digital Cuts Artist of the month.
In 2000 A2 Records took an interest in the album after seeing Taglieri perform at the Ulstrasound Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Not long after he finished his initial self-financed supporting tour for the album, A2 signed a one-record worldwide licensing deal for the Leap of Faith. They released an identical version of the CD in Europe in July 2000, particularly in Tower Records - UK
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
and Virgin Megastores - UK. A2 secured airplay in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. A2 also released the album in the United States. To date, the CD has sold over 7,500 units worldwide, and is currently no longer available except in digital format.
Half & Half (2003)
His second solo release, Half & Half, was released on September 23, 2003 through Leap Dog Music. It was a 12 song album album with six studio tracks and six live tracks. All tracks are acoustic. The live tracks are from various shows over a two-year period, mostly from the Bottom Line
Bottom Line
The Bottom Line was a music venue at 15 West Fourth Street between Mercer Street and Greene Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
in New York City, the same show where Taglieri was invited to open for guitar legend and Triumph
Triumph (band)
Triumph is a Canadian hard rock power trio that was popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Eight of the band's albums were certified gold or higher, and Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1987.Like their fellow Canadians...
founder Rik Emmett
Rik Emmett
Richard Gordon Emmett is a vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of the Canadian rock band Triumph. Emmett left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career. His first solo album, Absolutely, was released in 1990 and became a moderate hit across North America thanks to the hits "When a Heart...
. The studio tracks were all new songs written by Taglieri and produced by Doug Mackie. It includes guest musicians Larry Chaney of the Edwin McCain Band, Taglieri's friend John Calendrillo, and guitarist Neil Rambaldi. It was released on Amazon.com, Borders Books & Music, Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Tower Records, and CD Baby
CD Baby
CD Baby is an online music store specializing in the sale of CDs and digital music downloads from independent musicians to consumers. The company is also a digital aggregator of independent music recordings, distributing content to several online digital music retailers.CD Baby has achieved recent...
. He started an acoustic tour on September 15, 2003 to support the album. The CD helped Taglieri earn the "UIMA
Uima
UIMA stands for Unstructured Information Management Architecture. An OASIS standard as of March 2009, UIMA is to date the only industry standard for content analytics....
Pop/Rock Artist of the Year" award.
2005–2008 albums
He later released his third 12-track album, NOW, on Leap Dog Music, keeping up his touring schedule with the new material. His fourth album, Wide Awake & Dreaming, was released on Leap Dog Music in April 2007. The 2008 Everything We Are EP was Taglieri's fifth release and was a departure from his usual acoustic style, and written with his friend and guitarist Brad Whitley. An extensive tour was booked to promote the CD along with a successful promotional tour with FYE
Fyé
Fyé is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-References:*...
.
Lives Volume I and II (2009)
Lives (April 2009) is a series of EP's and books chronicling the fictional characters Cate and Max, both professed unlucky rejects on a journey of discovery. Taglieri and his co-writer Brad Whitley had contacted storywriter Gil Gonzalez to formulate the combination of books and EPs, as well as graphic designer Tony Marchesani. The recordings for Lives were done at Dawg Pound Studios, with Taglieri & Brad Whitley handling most of the recording. Additional recordings were done at BoogieMan Studios in Nashville by Lee J. Turner (Darius Rucker Band) and Jason Gambill (Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum is an American country pop music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The trio is composed of Charles Kelley , Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott .The group made its debut in 2007 as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman's single "Never Alone", before signing to Capitol...
), as well as at Room 56 in Congers, New York
Congers, New York
Congers is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Valley Cottage; east of New City, across Lake DeForest, south of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. It lies 19 miles north of New York City's Bronx boundary...
by Brian Fechino
Brian Fechino
Brian Fechino is an American guitarist most known for being a member of the Pat McGee Band; for his own instrumental music, being a studio musician and for being a music producer.-Biography:...
(Pat McGee Band
Pat McGee Band
The Pat McGee Band is a rock band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed by frontman Pat McGee, who attended Longwood University in Farmville, VA. On the heels of his solo release From the Wood in 1995, the Pat McGee Band signed with Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Giant Records in 1999...
). Lives Volume II, released in October 2009, was the second edition of the LIVES Project. It continued the story from Lives both musically and in book form.
TAG the band
Taglieri founded the touring band TAG in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They are on his Leap Dog Music Label. Taglieri serves as frontman, while Brad Whitley serves as guitarist and backup vocalist. Tom Darby, who started his career on trombone opening for Dizzy GillespieDizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
in 1982, is keyboardist, also playing harmonica and guitar. Dave Willard is on bass/vocals, and Rob "Action" Jackson is on drums and vocals. In November 2010 they released their debut album Forward. The band toured through November and December 2010 to support the CD. Rob Jackson parted ways from the band in January 2011, Brad Whitley & Dave Willard left the band in March 2011. The current lineup of the band consists of Taglieri, Darby, Michelle "Wolfie" Wolf (Guitar, vocals), Luke Kessel (bass, vocals), & Pete Green (drums). Karl Dietel (keyboards, guitar, vocals) also performs with the band on occasion. As of the end of 2011, Taglieri has put TAG on indefinite hiatus to focus on other endeavors.
Taglieri has sold over 16,000 CDs worldwide during his career to date.
Touring
Taglieri has played over 2000 performing dates. He has performed in front of 80,000 people at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, where he performed a total of 10 times, for up to 50,000 people at the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning
The Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning has been held annually at the Solberg Airport in Readington Township, New Jersey since 1983. Its lead sponsor is Quick Chek Food Stores. In 2007, the festival hosted around 125 special shape and sport hot air balloons. It also had music concerts,...
on five separate occasions, 40,000 people at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, 30,000 people at the Iowa State Fair
Iowa State Fair
The Iowa State Fair is an annual state fair held in Des Moines, Iowa.The 2011 Iowa State Fair was held August 11–21 and marked 100 years of the butter cow sculpture.-History:...
, and over six times at the University of Mary Washington
University of Mary Washington
The University of Mary Washington is a public, coeducational liberal arts college located in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA. Founded in 1908 by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a normal school, during much of the twentieth century it was part of the University of Virginia, until...
.
In 1999 he jammed on a stage with Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, and has also shared the stage with Rik Emmett
Rik Emmett
Richard Gordon Emmett is a vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of the Canadian rock band Triumph. Emmett left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career. His first solo album, Absolutely, was released in 1990 and became a moderate hit across North America thanks to the hits "When a Heart...
, Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:While his albums are released under his name, he does have a permanent band, referred to as the Edwin McCain Band...
, The Gin Blossoms, Gavin DeGraw
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin Shane DeGraw is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He is known for his songs "Chariot", "Follow Through", "I Don't Want to Be" , "In Love with a Girl", and "Not Over You".-Early life:DeGraw grew up in the Catskills in South Fallsburg,...
, Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
, Jeffrey Gaines
Jeffrey Gaines
Jeffrey Gaines is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he was signed to the Chrysalis Records label in 1990 and released his debut album, Jeffrey Gaines, in 1992 ....
, Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel are an alternative rock band from Gainesville, Florida, whose style also blends elements of folk rock, pop, classic rock 'n' roll and southern rock. Their music is characterized by highly melodic tunes and generally optimistic lyrics. The band's instrumentation often features abrupt...
, Michael Tolcher
Michael Tolcher
Michael Tolcher is an American singer-songwriter who blends pop, blues, and urban grooves. He was born in Front Royal, Virginia, and has lived most of his life in and around Atlanta, Georgia.- Biography :...
, Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard is an American singer/songwriter. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots...
, Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
, 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...
, Firehouse (band), Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
, Brian Vander Ark
Brian Vander Ark
Brian Vander Ark is an American Singer-songwriter best known as lead singer for the band The Verve Pipe. Born in Holland, Michigan, Vander Ark began playing guitar at age 8. At age 18, he was married to then girlfriend Michelle Marthens and had a son named Joshua Vander Ark. Soon after he joined...
, The Pat McGee Band, Indigo Girls
Indigo Girls
The Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
, Zac Brown, Blessid Union of Souls
Blessid Union of Souls
Blessid Union of Souls is an American rock band from Morrow, Ohio that was formed in 1990 by friends Jeff Pence and Eliot Sloan....
, Josh Kelley
Josh Kelley
Joshua Bishop "Josh" Kelley is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Kelley has recorded for Hollywood Records, Threshold Records and DNK Records as a pop rock artist, and has had four hit singles on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart...
, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers is an American rock band formed in Western Massachusetts in 2003. The band features lead singer Stephen Kellogg , bassist and keyboard player Kit 'The Goose' Karlson, drummer Boots Factor, and electric guitar/pedal steel player Sam 'Steamer' Getz...
, Francisco Vidal, Hootie & The Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish is an American rock band that enjoyed popularity in the second half of the 1990s. They were originally formed in 1986 at the University of South Carolina by Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Jim Sonefeld, and Mark Bryan. The band has recorded five studio albums to date, and has...
, Keaton Simons
Keaton Simons
Keaton Simons is a Los Angeles recording and performing artist. He is signed to CBS Records and his music has been featured on shows such as NCIS: Los Angeles, Crash, American Dad!, Harper's Island, and The Cleaner to name a few...
, Shawn Mullins
Shawn Mullins
Shawn Mullins is an American singer-songwriter who specializes in folk rock, instrumental rock, adult alternative, and Americana music. He is best known for the 1998 single, "Lullaby", which hit number one on the Adult Top 40 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.-Career:Mullins was born in...
, David Ryan Harris
David Ryan Harris
David Ryan Harris is an Atlanta, Georgia based singer-songwriter. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Harris moved to Atlanta at a young age. Harris has had a varied career as a musician. He is married and has 4 sons: Miles, Life, River, and Truman.-Influences:...
and Virginia Coalition
Virginia Coalition
Virginia Coalition is a rock band from Alexandria, Virginia, who met in the early 1990s through their music class at T. C. Williams High School. Referred to as VACO by fans, the band released their first album, The Colors of The Sound in 1998...
. He has performed for the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, and various minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams around the Northeast.
Taglieri has also toured for the US Military playing shows for the Navy at the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella , "The Hub of the Med", is a U.S. Navy installation at NATO Base Sigonella and an Italian Air Force base in Sicily, Italy. Although a tenant of the Italian Air Force, NAS Sigonella acts as landlord to more than 40 other U.S. commands and activities. It is located west...
in Sicily, Souda Bay Naval Base in Greece, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples, Italy
Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples, Italy
The Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples provides secure, reliable and timely voice, video and data services to the U.S. Navy joint, allied and coalition customers. It has two manned sites: C4I at Capodichino and SATCOM at Lago Patria...
, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
, Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville or NAS Jacksonville is a military airport located four miles south of the central business district of Jacksonville...
, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy located adjacent to the town of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, in southeastern Georgia, and not far from Jacksonville, Florida. The Submarine Base is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile...
, Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
, the Marines at Camp LeJeune (NC), and the Army at Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
(TX) and Fort Stewart
Fort Stewart
Fort Stewart is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily in Liberty County and Bryan County, but also extending into smaller portions of Evans, Long, and Tattnall Counties in Georgia, USA. The population was 11,205 at the 2000 census...
(GA) & Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
(KY). He performs over 200 dates per year in 30 states. He is currently booked by Ari Nisman at Degy Booking, as well as Chip Seligman and Rob Casey at James Turner Productions.
Media presence
Taglieri has secured hundreds music reviews and dozens of interviews on various worldwide websites and publications. He was chosen as "1999 Male pop CD of the Year" by Kweevaks Tracks (Now www.soundpress.net). He was also chosen as the "2003 UIMA Pop/Rock Artist of the Year". In June 2009, ReverbNation.com chose John Taglieri as a featured artist. He was also featured on Jagermusic.com as a music artist. He's been featured on the cover of several magazines and been interviewed or performed on several television shows on NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, News 12 New Jersey
News 12 New Jersey
News 12 New Jersey is a 24-hour cable news television channel reaching more than 1.8 million television homes within the New York City metropolitan area. The channel operates as an independent unit of News 12 Networks, the first, largest and most watched regional news network in United States...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
, Speed (TV channel) and more.
Taglieri has been included in several books on music marketing throughout his career. Indie Music Marketing guru Bob Baker has included chapters about Taglieri in his books Branding Yourself Online and The Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook, as well as the The Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook Encore Edition due to Taglieri's success as an indie artist. Publicist and Cyber PR owner Ariel Hyatt
Ariel Hyatt
Ariel Hyatt is an American music publicist and social media strategist. She's president and founder of Ariel Publicity, a social media PR firm based in New York City, and Cyber PR, her online brand. She recently authored the book Music Success in 9 Weeks....
has also included stories and mentions of Taglieri in her "Music Success In Nine Weeks" book series.
Dawg Pound Studios
Taglieri also owns and operates Dawg Pound Studios, which is a full service recording studio. Started in 2005 and originally based in East Rutherford, NJ, the studio has worked with many indie artists doing the recording, editing and mixing for over 15 CDs. The studio has also done work for various companies with editing and voice-over work. Currently, the studio has been moved to a new, custom-built 300 square feet (27.9 m²) location in Hanson, MA. Currently in its final building phase, the studio is slated to be reopened in January 2012. The studio is endorsed and sponsored by PreSonusPreSonus
PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. is an American manufacturer of recording and live sound equipment, founded in January 1995 by engineers Jim Odom and Brian Smith, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
and Auralex.
Sponsors
In 2000, Taglieri signed a deal with Ovation Guitars to accept him into the Ovation Artists Program and serve as an official sponsor. Throughout his career, Taglieri has only used Ovation acoustic guitars at his shows. He is also sponsored by JägermeisterJägermeister
Jägermeister is a German 70-proof digestif made with 56 different herbs and spices. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :...
, Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
, Curt Mangan Strings, and In-Tune Guitar Picks.
Equipment
He uses a 1983 Fender StratocasterFender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
Elite electric guitar, a Samick Valley Arts Pro model, and Ovation 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars. He owns a collection of guitars & amps including:
Guitars & Basses
- 1962 Fender Bass VI
- 1964 Silvertone-Kay 1240 Archtop
- 1965 Harmony H1215 Archtop
- 1968 Silvertone Tiesco 26875 Hollowbody
- 1974 Premiere Custom Les Paul
- 1977 Takamine F-375-S
- 1978 Ovation 1615 Pacemaker 12-string
- 1978 Fender F-75 Acoustic
- 1981 Ovation 1517 Glen Campbell
- 1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite
- 1986 Gagliano Classical
- 1997 Ibanez SR-401 Bass
- 1999 Samick SCM-1G Pro Valley Arts Model
- 2001 Ovation 1868 Elite
- 2001 Ovation CC-65 Nylon String
- 2003 Fender Squire Telecaster
- 2007 Gibson Les Paul Studio
- 2009 Epiphone Les Paul Jr.
- 2011 Ovation CC44
Amps
- 1963 Fender Bassman 6G6-B
- 1997 Marshall JTM-60 Amp
- 1998 Fender M-80 Chorus Amp
- 2008 Vox AC30 Amp
Musical influences
Taglieri has claimed that Rik EmmettRik Emmett
Richard Gordon Emmett is a vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of the Canadian rock band Triumph. Emmett left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career. His first solo album, Absolutely, was released in 1990 and became a moderate hit across North America thanks to the hits "When a Heart...
is one of his biggest influences on guitar and for vocals, and has also referenced Collin Raye
Collin Raye
Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray (born August 22, 1959 or 1960,Although multiple online sources all indicate Raye's date of birth as 1959, Raye's MySpace lists his date of birth as 1960. Furthermore, the 2004 Deseret News article cited in this article indicates the singer as...
for vocals, Steve Perry
Steve Perry (musician)
Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...
and the bands Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
, 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...
, Survivor
Survivor (band)
Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme...
, and Triumph
Triumph (band)
Triumph is a Canadian hard rock power trio that was popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Eight of the band's albums were certified gold or higher, and Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1987.Like their fellow Canadians...
. He has cited an affinity for pure Album-oriented rock
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...
, including musicians popular in the 1980s such as Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
. Taglieri has also stated he is influenced by modern bands such as Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
, Train
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
, Matchbox 20, Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain is an American singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:While his albums are released under his name, he does have a permanent band, referred to as the Edwin McCain Band...
, & Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band formed at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1991. The band is best known for a string of hits in 1999 and early 2000s, including "You're a God", "Everything You Want", and "Best I Ever Had ". Their most recent album, Burning the...
, with Pat Monahan from Train being one of his favorite vocalists.
Personal life
Taglieri currently lives in his Hanson, Massachusetts with his wife Laureen, their beagle Java, two cats Munchkin & Sammy.Discography
- A Surge Of Existence (1988) - with Sneaks Noise
- Leap of Faith (1999)
- Half & Half (2003)
- NOW (2005)
- Wide Awake & Dreaming (2007)
- Everything We Are EP (2008)
- Lives EP (2009)
- Lives Volume II EP (2009)
- Forward (2010) - with TAG
External links
- John Taglieri on Yahoo! MusicYahoo! MusicYahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
Video
- Leap Dog Music on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- "Booty Call" Music Video
Music
- John Taglieri on iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
- John Taglieri on Last.fmLast.fmLast.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
- John Taglieri on Rhapsody (US access only)
- John Taglieri on CD BabyCD BabyCD Baby is an online music store specializing in the sale of CDs and digital music downloads from independent musicians to consumers. The company is also a digital aggregator of independent music recordings, distributing content to several online digital music retailers.CD Baby has achieved recent...