John Taglieri

Early life

John Taglieri was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, 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.

Early career

Since graduating, Taglieri has served in various New Jersey 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 defunct 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.

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

In the spring of 1997, while still working a day job and playing night gigs with Bachelor Party, Taglieri began writing prolifically. He had 60 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 Dog 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/Universal 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.

His second solo release, Half & Half, was released on September 23, 2003 through Leap Dog Music. It was a 12 song 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.

Taglieri released his third 12-track album, NOW, on Leap Dog Music, maintaining his touring schedule with the new material. He toured extensively in the Northeast to support this CD and quickly sold out the first two runs of it. It was also the first of Taglieri's solo CDs recorded in his own Dawg Pound Studios.

His fourth album, Wide Awake & Dreaming, was released on Leap Dog Music in April 2007. The CD was produced by Drew Yowell and written mostly by Taglieri, Yowell and keyboardist Tom Darby. Taglieri also co-wrote a track with longtime collaborator John Calendrillo, and also covered the song "Waiting For Me", originally recorded by Blues artist Joe Bonamassa. Taglieri put a band together and toured the Eastern half of the US to support the CD.

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. The CD has subsequently sold out all 1000 units and is now only available in digital format.

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.

Taglieri formed TAG and released their debut CD, "FOREWARD" on 11/16/10. The band toured behind the CD subsequently selling out its first and only run of 1000 units. The CD is now only available in Digital Format.

Taglieri released his ninth effort entitled "Lucky #9" on 4/17/12. The release was a six-song EP featuring all new material and included songs Taglieri wrote on his own as well as with several co-writers. The EP has a very Modern Rock sound. The release sold strong and peaked at #2 on the Amazon.com "Hot New Releases Chart" and hit #18 on the Adult Alternative Best Sellers charts.

The first single from "Lucky #9"...'Make Me Believe'...hit #1 on the Amazon.com Hot New Releases - Adult Alternative chart & #13 on Amazon.com's Miscellaneous Chart, #22 on Pop Best Sellers, & #75 on the Main Pop "Hot New Releases" Chart. A second song, 'Dying Alive', peaked at #3 on AA as well. All Six songs from the release made it into the Top 10 in AA Hot New Releases.

Taglieri release his 10th effort on 10/23/12. A 20-song Best Of package spanning his whole career with two songs off of each of his first nine CDs and two new unreleased tracks.

On 3/8/13, Taglieri broke the 20,000 mark for physical CD sales & full CD digital downloads worldwide during his career to date.

Taglieri released his 11th effort entitled 'Southern Paradise' on 4/16/13. The six-song release features songs written by Taglieri, as well as with co-writers Brad Whitley, Bobby James & Sean Mormelo. The EP was recorded in Nashville, TN, Congers, NY, & Taglieri's own Dawg Pound Studios in Hanson, MA. Produced by Sean Mormelo, Mark Cohn & Taglieri, it was a true collaborative effort. The EP was mastered by Five-Time Grammy winner Master engineer Richard Dodd. A video for the lead single 'Southern Paradise' was shot and directed by Anthony Mario Picone and Beth Rooney at Savior Productions and was shot entirely in Key West, FL. The video garnered over 3000 views in just its first 10 days. Taglieri also ran a successful pre-sale giving away a trip for two to Key West to a random winner, and a CD release party at The Smokin' Tuna Saloon in Key West, FL. The EP peaked at #5 on Amazon.com in their Hot New Release chart, #10 on their Best Sellers Chart for Rock, with the single 'Southern Paradise' peaking at #13 on the Hot New Releases chart. The CD sold out its first pressing of 1000 units in 3 months making it the fastest selling Taglieri CD since 'Leap Of Faith'. The CD sold out it's 2nd pressing by the end of 2013.

On 10/8/13, Taglieri signed a worldwide distribution deal with Vanity Music Group. The deal gave his latest release, 'Southern Paradise', a bigger distribution ability than his personal label had on its own. The deal is an open ended agreement between Leap Dog Music and vanity Music Group allowing all of Taglieri's future CDs to be signed on for worldwide distribution as well.

Taglieri released his 12th effort, 'Days Like These' on 8/19/14. It was released on his Leap Dog Music label in conjunction with Vanity Music Group. The EP is a Six song rock release. Taglieri wrote or co-wrote all six songs. Co-writers included Rayen Belchere, Bobby James, Matt Colligan, Joe Gilder & Tyrone Noonan. The EP featured such amazing talents as Kenny Aronoff, Rich Redmond, Alan Jax Bowers, Chad Cunningham, Joe Gilder, Keith LuBrant, Kim Kostas, Greg Juliano, & Sean Mormelo. Produced by Taglieri, the EP was recorded at nine different studios around the country, with tracks all sent to Taglieri for mixing. It was mastered by Five Time Grammy winning master engineer Richard Dodd. A video for the lead single is being produced as well as for at least one other track on the EP.

Originally part of the LIVES PROJECT back in 2009/2010, Volume III was done but never released due to various reasons when the project ended. Five of the six songs on the EP were used in various other project. Wanting to get it out in its proper form, the EP was released as a whole and as originally intended on 4/2/15.

Taglieri released his 14th effort, 'True Believer' on 8/14/15. It was released on his Leap Dog Music label in conjunction with Vanity Music Group. The EP is a six-song hard rock release. Taglieri write or co-wrote five of the six tracks. The Title cut was written by long time friend and former band mate John Calendrillo. It was written in 1991 when the two were in their band 'Big Trouble'. Taglieri played all instruments except Keyboards on 'Above The Sunrise (Lee Turner), rhythm guitar on 'True Believer' (John Calendrillo), and backing vocals on 'Way Out' (Munk Duane). It was engineered and produced by Taglieri in his own Dawg Pound Studios in Hanson, MA and mixed by Lee Turner in Nashville.

Touring

Taglieri has played over 3500 performing dates. He has performed in front of 80,000 people at Giants Stadium, 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 stage with Little Richard, and has also shared the stage and been on bills with Rik Emmett, The Beach Boys, Edwin McCain, Allen Toussaint, The Gin Blossoms, Gavin DeGraw, Chuck Berry, Lee Brice, Miranda Lambert, Chris Young (singer), Uncle Kracker, Kix Brooks, Jerrod Niemann, Jeffrey Gaines, Sister Hazel, Michael Tolcher, Marc Broussard, Dennis DeYoung, Foreigner, Firehouse (band), Charlie Daniels, Brian Vander Ark, Will Hoge, 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, Virginia Coalition and Rich Franklin. 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 Navy Entertainment at the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia, Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Souda Bay Naval Base in Greece, Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (3x), Naval Air Station Jacksonville (2x), Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay (2x), Naval Station Mayport (2x), the Marines at Camp LeJeune (NC), and the Army at Fort Sam Houston (TX), Fort Stewart (GA) & Fort Knox (KY). He performs over 200 dates per year in 30 states. He is currently booked by Ari Nisman & Jeff Hyman at Degy Booking, as well as Chip Seligman at James Turner Productions.

Taglieri founded the touring band TAG in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They are on his Leap Dog Music Label. Taglieri served as frontman, while Brad Whitley served as guitarist and backup vocalist. Tom Darby, was the keyboardist, also playing harmonica and guitar. Dave Willard was on bass/vocals, and Rob Jackson was on drums and vocals. In November 2010 they released their debut album FOREWARD. 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 final lineup of the band consisted of Taglieri, Darby, Michelle "Wolfie" Wolf (Guitar, vocals), Luke Kessel (bass, vocals), & Pete Green (drums). Karl Dietel (keyboards, guitar, vocals) also performed with the band on occasion. As of the end of 2011, Taglieri put TAG on indefinite hiatus to focus on other endeavors.

Starting on 12/30/11, Taglieri began touring as a member of The Joe Bachman Band. Taglieri assumed the role of acoustic guitar, electric guitar & backing vocals, while also singing some lead vocals. The Joe Bachman Band toured the eastern half of the US playing top venues to large crowds and performs over 240 shows per year. As of 7/17/12, Taglieri left The Joe Bachman Band to pursue other career interests as a solo artist.

Taglieri is currently touring as strictly a solo artist. As of 8/1/12 he landed a gig at the famed Irish Kevins in Key West, FL six months per year and spends the other six months on the road touring the country and at home. He can be seen at Irish Kevins in February, April, June, August, October and December each year now.

Media presence

Taglieri has secured hundreds of 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 NBC, 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.

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 20 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-foot (28 m²) location in Hanson, MA. The studio began its first project in 12/11 when Taglieri commenced work on his 9th CD. The studio is endorsed and sponsored by PreSonus, Auralex & MXL Microphones.

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 early career, Taglieri only used Ovation acoustic guitars at his shows. He is currently sponsored by Ovation, Curt Mangan Strings, Shipyard & Sea Dog Breweries & Cold Cock Whiskey, He has previously been sponsored by Jagermeister, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Marshall Amplification, and In-Tune Guitar Picks.

Equipment

He uses a 1983 Fender Stratocaster 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

Amps

Other Gear

Musical influences

Taglieri has claimed that Rik Emmett 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.

Awards

Discography

Charity Work

Taglieri has done considerable charity work over the years, working mostly for Childrens Cancer Charities. He has traveled and performed shows for Acoustic Outreach, Rock Against Cancer, The Candlelighters Foundation, Rock By The Sea, Lyrics For Life and did numerous shows for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Working for both Acoustic Outreach and Rock Against Cancer, Taglieri has performed many shows at Childrens Cancer Facilities in the Eastern US, doing intimate performances for the children and parents who were receiving care. He also helped to install recording studios for Rock Against Cancer at several facilities that have music therapy programs. For The Candlelighters Foundation, he performed at their Christmas events in Washington, D.C.

For The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Taglieri, along with his band, performed at many events including Light The Night Walks & Relay For Life events. Taglieri won the prestigious "2004 The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Man Of The Year" award in NJ for his work.

Personal life

Taglieri currently lives in Hanson, Massachusetts with his wife Laureen, their daughter Harmony Grace, their beagle Java, & two cats Munchkin & Sammy.