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In the late '70s, Richie Zito was one of the most sought-after session guitarists in Los Angeles. He lent his chops to Neil Sedaka, Bobby Hatfield (The Righteous Brothers), Rick James, Art Garfunkel, Barbara Streisand, The Beach Boys, Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie. At the start of the '80s, Zito hooked up with Elton John, and became a member of Elton John's band. Soon after, in addition to playing guitar on the Soundtracks for FLASHDANCE, TOP GUN, SCARFACE and BEVERLY HILLS COP, he began producing and writing for the Motels, and boasts an exhaustive resumé including the Cult, White Lion, Heart, Sam Kinison's "Wild Thing", Joe Cocker's "You can leave your hat on", Eddie Money's (Grammy Nominated) duet with Ronnie Spector, "Take Me Home Tonight", Heart's Triple Platinum "Brigade" CD, and Bad English's and in 1990 was the Magazine's "Top Singles Producer of the Year". In 1991 Zito Produced and released "Open Skyz" (which yielded the top ten Rock Radio hit, "Every Day Of My Life") 0n his ZITO / BMG Record Label. Zito has also enjoyed success with the CHER's Double Platinum Greatest Hits CD. In 2001, Zito joined T.L.C. Management. In the two years following, as a partner in TLC, Zito acted as MUSIC SUPERVISOR for the feature film, WISEGIRLS (Mira Sorvino, Mariah Carey), and has helped guide the careers of Producers Keith Forsey, Giorgio Moroder and Jim Wirt. 2006, A New West Coast-Based Independent Label, Your Music America, Launched As Industry Vet Larry Lee and Former Producer of the Year, Richie Zito Helm With Backing From $12 Billion WMC Mortgage President and CEO Amy Brandt!CREDITS: Adema Immortal (2002) Producer Peter Allen Bi-Coastal (1980) Guitar America Perspective (1984) Guitar, Programming, Producer America 30 Years of America (2000)Guitar, Producer, Programming Animotion Strange Behavior (1986) Producer Animotion Obsession: The Best of Animotion (1996) Producer Bad English Bad English (1989) Producer Lou Ann Barton Forbidden Tones (1986) Guitar Toni Basil Best of Toni Basil: Mickey & Other (1994) Producer The Beach Boys Keepin' the Summer Alive/The Beach (2000)Guitar The Beach Boys M.I.U. Album/L.A. (Light Album) (2000) Guitar Barbi Benton Something New (1975) Guitar Michel Berger Dreams in Stone Guitar Berlin Love Life (1984) Producer Berlin Best of Berlin 1979-1988 (1989) Guitar, Producer Big Trouble Big Trouble Guitar Brian Cadd White on White (1976) Guitar Brian Cadd Yesterdaydream (1978) Guitar Irene Cara What a Feelin' (1983) Guitar, Arranger, Drums Eric Carmen Boats Against the Current Guitar(Acoustic/Electric),Vocals Eric Carmen Change of Heart (1978) Guitar Eric Carmen Definitive Collection (1997) Guitar (Electric) Shaun Cassidy Room Service (1979) Guitar Chinga Chavin Jet Lag (1978) Guitar (Electric) Cheap Trick Lap of Luxury (1988) Producer Cheap Trick Busted (1990) Producer Cheap Trick Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love (1990) Producer Cheap Trick Wherever Would I Be? (1990) Producer Cheap Trick Greatest Hits (1991) Producer Cheap Trick Collection (1992) Producer Cheap Trick Sex, America, Cheap Trick (1996) Producer Cheap Trick Hits of Cheap Trick (1998) Producer Cheap Trick Authorized Greatest Hits (2000) Producer Cheap Trick Greatest Hits [Expanded] (2002) Producer Cher Love Hurts (1991) Guitar, Keyboards, Producer Cher Greatest Hits: 1965-1992 [Import... (1993) Producer Cher If I Could Turn Back Time:... (1999) Producer Cher Greatest Hits [WEA] (1999) Producer Cher If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's... (1999) Producer Cher Very Best of Cher (2003) Producer Michael Christian Boy from New York City (1979) Guitar Riccardo Cocciante Sincerita (1999) Chitarrone Joe Cocker Cocker (1986) Guitar, Producer Joe Cocker Best of Joe Cocker [Capitol] (1993) Guitar, Producer Joe Cocker Long Voyage Home (1995) Producer Joe Cocker Greatest Hits [EMI] (1998) Guitar, Producer Joe Cocker Best of Joe Cocker [Mushroom] (1999) Producer Alice Cooper Freedom for Frankenstein: Hits &... (1998) Producer The Cult Ceremony (1991) Keyboards, Producer The Cult Wild Hearted Son (1991) Producer The Cult Pure Cult: The Best of the Cult... (1993) Producer The Cult High Octane Cult (1996) Producer The Cult Pure Cult: The Singles 1984-1995 (2000)Keyboards, Producer The Cult Best of Rare Cult (2000) Producer The Cult Rare Cult (2000) Producer Dakota Runaway (1984) Guitar Lisa Dal Bello Pretty Girls (1978) Guitar Martha Davis Policy Guitar, Bongos, Keyboards Dogstar Happy Ending (2000) Producer, Mixing The Dukes Dukes (1982) Producer Yvonne Elliman Yvonne (1979) Guitar Yvonne Elliman Best of Yvonne Elliman (1997) Guitar England Dan & John Ford... Dr. Heckle & Mr. Jive (1978) Guitar Enuff Z'Nuff Animals with Human Intelligence (1992) Producer Robert John Gallo Painted Poetry (1972) Guitar, Guitar (Bass) Art Garfunkel Fate for Breakfast (1979) Guitar, Guitar (Electric) Leif Garrett My Movie of You (1981) Guitar Albert Hammond Somewhere in America (1982) Guitar Heart Brigade (1990) Guitar, Producer Heart Greatest Hits [1997] (1997) Producer Heart Essential Heart (2002) Producer Heavy Bones Heavy Bones (1991) Keyboards, Producer Janet Jackson Dream Street (1984) Guitar Elton John 21 at 33 (1980) Guitar Elton John Fox (1981) Guitar Elton John Jump Up! (1982) Guitar Elton John To Be Continued... (1990) Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar Elton John Greatest Hits, 1976-1986 (1992) Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar Jackie Johnson Here I Am (2000) Vocals (bckgr) Bruce Johnston Going Public (1977) Guitar, Guitar (Electric) France Joli Attitude (1983)Arranger, Bass ,Guitar (Electric), Keyboards Sam Kinison Leader of the Banned (1990) Vocals (bckgr), Producer Sam Kinison Have You Seen Me Lately? (1990) Producer Alexis Korner Just Easy (1978) Guitar Richie Kotzen Mother Head's Family Reunion (1994) Producer Richie Kotzen What Is (2000) Bass, Keyboards, Producer Richie Kotzen Break It All Down (2000) Bass, Guitar , Keyboards Life by Night Life by Night (1990) Producer Kenny Loggins Back to Avalon (1988) Guitar, Producer Kenny Loggins Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: The... (1997) Guitar Kenny Loggins Essential Kenny Loggins (2002) Guitar Jim Mandell No More Illusions Guitar Eric Martin I'm Only Fooling Myself (2000) Guitar, Producer, Mixing Liza Minnelli Tropical Nights (1977) Guitar Mr. Big Actual Size [Bonus Track] (2001)Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals, Producer, Engineer, MellotronMr. Big Arrow [EP] (2001) Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals ,Producer, Engineer, Mellotron Mr. Big Actual Size (2001) Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals ,Producer, Engineer, Mellotron Eddie Money Can't Hold Back (1986) Synthesizer, Guitar, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, Mixing, Synthesizer Arrangements Eddie Money Nothing to Lose Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer Eddie Money Greatest Hits: The Sound of Money (1989) Arranger, Producer, Executive Producer, Mixing Eddie Money Super Hits (1997) Producer Eddie Money & Ronnie... Everybody Loves Christmas (1997) Producer Eddie Money Best of Eddie Money (2001) Producer Eddie Money Essential Eddie Money (2003) Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Executive Producer Matthew Moore Winged Horses Guitar (Electric) Giorgio Moroder & Joe... Solitary Men (1983) Bass, Guitar The Motels Shock (1985) Producer The Neville Brothers Uptown (1987) Guitar, Producer The Neville Brothers Treacherous Too: A History of the(1991) Producer The Neville Brothers Very Best of the Neville Brothers (1997)Producer New Frontier New Frontier (1988)Guitar, Keyboards, Producer John O'Banion John O'Banion (1981) Guitar, Keyboards Philip Oakey/Giorgio... Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder (1985) Guitar Nigel Olsson Nigel Olsson [1978] (1978)Guitar, Guitar (Electric) Nigel Olsson Nigel (1979) Guitar (Electric) Nigel Olsson Changing Tides (198 ) Guitar Open Skyz Open Skyz (1993) Producer Poison Native Tongue (1993) Producer Poison Poison's Greatest Hits: 1986-1996 (1996)Producer Poison Power to the People (2000) Producer Prism Beat Street (1983) Guitar Prism From the Vaults (1997) Guitar Ratt Ratt (1999) Producer Ratt Over the Edge (1999) Producer Ratt Infestation (1999) Producer Red 7 When the Sun Goes Down Guitar, Producer Helen Reddy Live in London (1978) Guitar (Rhythm) Lionel Richie Lionel Richie (1982) Guitar Lionel Richie Lionel Richie [Bonus Tracks] (2003)Guitar, Soloist Kenny Rogers We've Got Tonight (1983) Guitar Gregg Rolie Gringo (1988) Producer Diana Ross Baby, It's Me (1977) Guitar Brian & Brenda Russell Word Called Love (1976) Guitar Carole Bayer Sager Too (1978) Guitar Evie Sands Suspended Animation (1979) Guitar (Electric) Dan Seals Stones (1980) Guitar (Electric) Neil Sedaka Steppin' Out (1976) Guitar Charlie Sexton Pictures for Pleasure (1985) Guitar Sister Hazel Fortress (2000) Producer Sparks Hell Collection (1993) Guitar Ronnie Spector Dangerous, 1976-1987 (1996) Producer Ringo Starr Stop and Smell the Roses (1981) Guitar Sutherland Brothers When the Night Comes Down (1979) Guitar Marc Tanner No Escape (1979) Guitar Marc Tanner Temptation (1980) Guitar Bernie Taupin He Who Rides the Tiger(1980)Guitar - Acoustic/ Electric Tina Turner Private Dancer (1984) Guitar Tina Turner Private Dancer: Centenary [UK.(1998) Guitar Dwight Twilley Jungle (1984) Guitar Roch Voisine Kissing Rain (1996) Guitar, Producer Roch Voisine Chaque Feu... (1999) Engineer Von Groove Von Groove (1992) Producer White Lion Mane Attraction (1991) Producer White Lion Best of White Lion (1992) Producer Eikichi Yazawa Its Just Rock 'n Roll Guitar, Guitar (12 String) Original Motion Picture Top Gun [Expanded] (1999) Exec. Producer, Mixing Original Soundtrack Moment by Moment (1978) Guitar Original Soundtrack Metropolis [Original Soundtrack] (1984) Arranger Original Soundtrack Teachers (1984) Producer Original Soundtrack Heavenly Bodies (1984) Producer Original Soundtrack Just One of the Guys (1985) Producer Original Soundtrack Top Gun [US] (1986)Executive Producer, Mixing Original Soundtrack Iron Eagle (1986) Producer Original Soundtrack Lost Boys (1987) Producer Original Soundtrack Over the Top (1987) Guitar, Producer Original Soundtrack Iron Eagle 2 (1988) Producer Original Soundtrack Tequila Sunrise (1988) Producer Original Soundtrack 9 1/2 Weeks (1988) Producer, Arranger Original Soundtrack Caddyshack 2 (1988) Producer Original Soundtrack Say Anything (1989) Producer Original Soundtrack Scarface [Original Soundtrack] (1990) Arranger, Musician Original Soundtrack Project A-Ko (1994) Synthesizer, Guitar, Arranger, Drums, Producer Original Soundtrack Casper (1995) Arranger, Producer Original Soundtrack Revenge of the Nerds (1998) ProducerOriginal Soundtrack Top Gun [Australia Bonus Tracks] (1999) Executive Producer, Mixing Original Soundtrack... Hellsing (2002) Producer Original Soundtrack Made in Heaven Producer Original Soundtrack Golden Child Guitar, Producer Original Soundtrack Once Bitten Producer Various Artists Thief of Hearts (1984) Guitar Various Artists Living in Oblivion: The 80's... (1994) Producer Various Artists Geffen Vintage 80s, Vol. 1 (1995) Producer Various Artists Only in the 80s, Vol. 2 (1995) Producer Various Artists Sedated in the Eighties, Vol. 4 (1995) Producer Various Artists Hit Me with Your 80's Box! (2002) Producer Various Artists Movie Soundtracks (2002)Executive Producer, Mixing Various Artists Capitol Records 1942-2002 Deluxe (2002)Guitar, Producer Various Artists Classic Rock Christmas (2002) Guitar, Producer Various Artists Capitol Records 1942-2002 [Special (2002)Guitar, ProducerSongs Appear on:Irene Cara What a Feelin' Roger Daltrey Can't Wait to See the Movie Placido Domingo/Kaas/Fernandez/Me Christmastime in Vienna Heart Heart Presents a Lovemonger's Christmas France Joli Attitude Richie Kotzen Break It All Down James Last Non Stop Dancing '85 Lovemongers Here Is Christmas / Whirlygig [Japan] Mr. Big on 5 albums: 1 2 3 4 5 Eddie Money Can't Hold Back / Nothing to Lose Graham Nash Innocent Eyes The Neville Brothers Treacherous Too: A History of the Nevil / Uptown / Very Best of the Neville Brothers Precious Metal Right Here, Right Now / What You See Is What You Get Ratt Ratt Diana Ross Reach Out and Touch: The Very Best of D Zoot Sims Send in the Clowns / Somebody Loves Me Original Soundtrack Hellsing / Project A-Ko
MC Bulletin Vol. I, No.9 November, 2006NEWS YOU CAN USE! FROM THE MC PRESS ROOM New West Coast Based Label: Your Music America A newly formed west-coast based label, Your Music America, has opened its doors for business with industry veteran Larry Lee and former Producer of the Year and a man with 40 chart hits on his resume, Richie Zito, at the helm. YMA will seek out and sign fresh, new talent and develop a rock-oriented roster backed with the extensive marketing promotion, production resources enjoyed by major labels. For funding, Lee and Zito have partnered with the President and CEO of a $12 Billion company, WMC Mortgage topper, Amy Brandt. The company simultaneously announced its distribution duties will be handled by ADA via Adrenaline (Kevin Day, Fred Croshal and Bob Divney). For more info: 323-788-0741 or [email protected] hear Zito and Brandt discuss the label?s future, it harkens back to the early 1970s when independent labels were started in Los Angeles to give an outlet to the burgeoning SoCal singer/songwriter and country rock genres that gave the world The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Crosby, Stills and Nash.So, independent labels are in the history and fabric of the industry and it?s those labels ? Asylum, Atlantic, and A&M ? that Your Music America models itself after, Zito said.?They broke rules, they made rules; they empowered artists to make great music,? said Zito, whose credits include producing Cheap Trick, Heart and Eddie Money.Rather than clinging to some past reality of the L.A. music scene, Brandt, Lee and Zito need to maneuver their label through an environment of declining CD sales, disappearing music retail outlets (as evidenced by the Tower Records bankruptcy) and the rise of digital distribution (iTunes, anyone?).The advantage that a small, independent label has over the majors is less overhead and a lower return on its investment.It is not uncommon these days for a major label to secure another revenue stream from its artists, be it merchandising, concerts, or publishing but that?s not a path Your Music America necessarily needs to follow.A label of their size can cater to a smaller audience, sell considerably fewer units and still turn a profit, Brandt said.As a boutique label looking for artists with the potential for a career lasting beyond the next music fad, Your Music America can be picky about who they sign.So far, the company has lined up Kessler, a Dallas-based band with a debut release slated for early 2007. Zito and Lee also inked a deal with Andrew McMahon to form Airport Records and Tapes to distribute albums by acts discovered by McMahon.To have success with their acts, the label needs to give the right nurturing and a sympathetic ear to help a performer realize their vision, Zito said.?We?re hoping every record finds the audience we want it to find,? Zito said.

About Richie Zito


ZITO ADR

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Richie Zito has enjoyed a career that spans 40 years and is as diverse as it has been successful.
From being signed to Atlantic Records, by Gerry Wexler at the age of 15, recording and
Touring with Neil Sedaka during the biggest comeback of the 70s, playing
guitar on Tina Turner's "Private Dancer", kicking off the biggest comeback of the 80s.
Being a member of Elton John's band and playing in front of 450,000 people in Central
Park, playing guitar on "Danger Zone" and "Take my breath away", and "Flashdance,
What a Feeling" and "Call Me", Arranging and playing guitar on the
music for SCARFACE.
Writing, arranging, producing and performing the music for Project A-ko"The Gold
Standard" of Classic Japanese Anime.
Producing and Arranging Joe Cocker's "You Can Leave Your Hat On" for 91/2
Weeks,Producing "Take me Home Tonight", Eddie Money's duet with Ronnie Spector,
Producing, Cheap Trick's, "The Flame",to having 38 charting singles, and being
named Billboard's Producer of the year in 1990.



My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 09/05/2006
Band Website: www.zitoadr.com
Influences:

Richie Zito: The man behind some true melodic rock classics.
Starting out as a session guitarist, to being part of Elton's John band, to a partnership with Giorgio Moroder, to award winning production work for the likes of Cheap Trick, Bad English, Tyketto, Eddie Money, Heart and now his own solo record and record label. Richie Zito has seen it all. Read about some of that right here.

How's yourself Richie?
I'm very well, thank you.

Look, great pleasure to talk with you. I've been a fan of your work since Cheap Trick's Lap of Luxury.
You're going to make me feel old, be careful.

Haha. That's probably the oldest record I've got of you producing.
I was just thinking about that the other day. It was December of '86. We had everything recorded and mixed. The only thing that wasn't recorded and mixed was “The Flame” and a couple of others.

Okay.
And then we came back from holiday and mixed the last 2 or 3 songs very early in 1987. That brings back a lot of memories and that was quite some time ago.

It was indeed. You've got an amazing catalog. I've even bought CDs on the strength of it saying “produced by Richie Zito”.
Great, I had a wonderful, wonderful period of time where I was very fortunate. Once you've had some success you're in a position where you're offered things that are very, very good. The odds for success then increases and then the odds for a better record increases because the artists are a little better and a little more savvy at what they do. All in all, it's better for everybody.

Is it a slow climb up the ladder?
I don't know. Not really. For some. And for others it seems like it rockets. I totally got serious so, so early in my life, at every plateau, at every stage of my career, first as a guitar player, then as a producer, obviously I always wanted to succeed, I always wanted to succeed more, I always wanted more, so yeah. The younger you are the more in a hurry you are for it. It didn't come overnight but it seemed to come at a fair pace, frankly. It seemed to work fine for me. Once I figured out how to do it successfully, correctly, it seemed a little easier. I was a little lucky, obviously and I think like everyone else there's a time when you hit your stride.

Can you identify a time when your career started?
I came to L.A. in 1972. I was signed to Atlantic records at 15 years old in like 1967.

Wow! I was actually going to ask you about that. I knew you were a session guitarist to start with.
I started as a band and we kinda didn't really deserve a record deal but we were so grateful to get it. It was myself and Joey Carbone, I don't know if you know who that is…

Joe Williams' studio partner, right?
Exactly. Joey and I grew up together. We were in a band together, got signed by Atlantic when we were 15 and that was our education. We went there everyday, whether it was the studios of Atlantic… and this was the days when they signed the first Led Zeppelin album, the Bee Gees, lots of the R&B stuff, Otis Reading, Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, Sam and Dave, all came under that. The Cream. It was a wonderful time in music and in particular at Atlantic. We were young and not really ready. It was kind of the equivalent of a Development Deal today.

Yep.
We released a few singles. For us it was just a wonderful opportunity to get close… you know what I mean?

Yeah.
To the real business. You know, walking in and seeing The Rascals, a blue-eyed soul pop R&B band of the day and then seeing Aretha Franklin. It was a wonderful education so I sort of started there. Then I moved to Los Angeles in 1973. and at that point, it was sort of the time of the singer/songwriter was in vogue and that led to sort of the hired gun session musicians was in vogue at that period, at least in L.A., at least in the circle that I traveled. It gave me the opportunity to work with many, many artists and producers and learn just so many things. Particularly later .. spending so much time with such talented producers. Learning the trade of record production. I don't think I could've learned it a better way from better people.

I haven't got a bio for you but I've done a little research…
By the end of this conversation you'll have more than you need to know.

Yeah Neil Sedaka, Eric Carmen, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, there's some amazing names for starters…
Again, very fortunate, very lucky. Stepped off the plan in '73 here and within the first year I did a tour with Bobby Hatfield, may he rest in peace, of the Righteous Brothers, within 6 months of being here. And when I got off that tour, again, formed a band with Joey Carbone and Rick James. And that was all in 1973, the first year I was here and by 1974 I started to do, not real sessions in terms of playing on people's records that were real successful, but starting to find my way into the studios in Los Angeles and in 1974 found my way into Neil Sedaka's world at a time when he had connected with Elton John on a song called “Laughter in the Rain” which was an international big hit. Then wrote “Love Will Keep Us Together” for Captain and Tenille which in America was a Grammy winning Record of the Year, so at 22 years old I was in that environment. I played with Neil, toured with him for a couple of years, started to record with him, sort of became friendly with Elton and that camp and then I wound up in Elton's band in 1980 and 1981, made 3 albums with him and toured the world with him. So I was very fortunate to keep very good company.

That was an amazing experience, I'm sure!
Wonderful. If I had known how great it was… I was too young to know how great it was. It was a wonderful time; wonderful experience. It opened a lot of doors. Playing with Elton John still opens a lot of doors. When I start to meet young bands today and tell them that I played guitar on Top Gun and Danger Zone it gives me more credibility than anything I've ever produced. Some of the moments in my life, in my past, in my career were wonderful experiences and I still enjoy them.

Absolutely. What was the first record where you were at the helm and had the producer's chair for?
I always tried to produce. I always loved playing guitar but because of the way I came up and how I came up, for whatever reason, shortly after arriving in L.A. I was a session guy playing other people's music and songs. It's different when you're on the road playing in your own band with your own music, not to underplay how much fun it was to play with Elton John believe me it was incredible but playing your own songs and doing your own thing is a little different so I always had my eye on how to be a little bit more creatively involved in the process of making a record. I was always really influenced by records. I always wanted to make records. That was always my passion. I was always trying. Always. After Joey and I got signed to Atlantic we were always pounding the pavement of New York trying to let people, get them to let us write and produce artists for them, and they did a couple of times but nothing terribly successful. But I always had an eye for it, always.

Yeah
And then doing the session world in LA, the turning point came when I became one of Giorgio Moroder's crew. I met Giorgio in the late 70s. Some of this interview isn't going to make sense to your audience because it's about rock but some of it is.

I've got a pretty diverse reader base.
Great. My first record with Giorgio as a musician was with Donna Summer and Barbara Streisand's duet “Enough is Enough, No More Tears”, which was a single platinum 12-inch that was on two different platinum albums. So that was a nice day. I then worked on American Gigolo which featured “Call Me” by Blondie. So I got into that world and that was a wonderful experience. I loved Giorgio, he was European so he did things a little differently than some of the people I worked for. And then I didn't see him for a couple of years when I was touring with Elton and I was touring with him almost exclusively. Then I came back into Giorgio's world around '83 or so and that was a wonderfully fortuitous time for all of us at the time and the first thing I did when we reconnected was Flashdance. In a short period of time we did Flashdance and then Top Gun and then Harold Faltermeyer did Beverly Hills Cop and I played guitar on “The Heat is On” and I played guitar on a lot of that stuff.
So there was a lot of traffic.

Giorgio Moroder


There's some great songs on those soundtracks.
It was a lot of traffic. And for the soundtracks there were 14 artists, not just one. There were many different opportunities. There was a band called Berlin. Then Giorgio was magnanimous enough to allow me to co-produce a couple of songs on Berlin's record. And that sort of brought me to the attention of a lot of people. Again, being around that camp at that time gave me many, many opportunities. Keith Forsey was part of that crew.

A great producer as well.
A great talent. My neighbor actually.

Read More...

New West Coast Indie Label, Your Music America, Launched
New West Coast Indie Label, Your Music America, Launched A newly formed west coast-based label, Your Music America has opened its doors for business with Industry veteran Larry Lee and former Producer of the Year and man with 40 chart hits on his resume, Richie Zito at the helm. YMA will seek out and sign fresh, new talent and develop a rock oriented roster backed with the extensive marketing promotion, production resources enjoyed by major labels.
For funding, Lee and Zito have partnered with the President and CEO of a $12 Billion company, WMC Mortgage topper, Amy Brandt, one of the top female execs in the business world. In 2004, after building WMC into a $12 Billion Mortgage Originator, Brandt, along with her partners, a well-known New York based investment fund, sold WMC to affiliates of General Electric. Under her leadership WMC's monthly production volume soared from $12 million to over $1 billion a month in 2004 and to $3 billion a month in 2006.
The company simultaneously announced its distribution duties will be handled by ADA via Adrenaline (Kevin Day, Fred Croshal and Bob Divney).
In other news, a joint venture with Andrew McMahon has also been inked. Lee and Zito are pleased to announce the formation of Airport Tapes and Records ("ATR"). Headed by Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jacks Mannequin) and Your Music America, the joint venture will serve as an outlet for the talented artists that Andrew encounters on the road and at home.
Legal matters for Your Music America will be handled by Scott Bradford, who represents a variety of music clients such as Panic! At the Disco, The Shins, and Plain White T's.
Your Music America's first artist signing is the band Kessler, a diverse, upbeat group who have already taken Dallas by storm with the hit track, "Outside Your Window." Selling out clubs from Texas to Louisiana, YMA's Kessler will be produced by Jim Wirt whose credits include Incubus, Hoobastank, Fiona Apple, Live, Something Corporate, and many more. The Kessler album is slated for a February of 2007 release.
President/Head of A&R at YMA, Larry Lee began his musical career at age 16, landing a record deal with RCA Records. In the 70's Larry toured with Badfinger. As a musician and producer, Lee has worked with such artists as Meatloaf, Roger Daltry of The Who and numerous projects with composer and three-time Oscar-winner Giorgio Moroder.
VP of A&R Richie Zito's career began at the age of 15 when he signed his first record deal with Atlantic Records. Throughout the 70's and into the 80's, Zito recorded and toured with Elton John, Neil Sedaka and The Beach Boys among others. As an arranger he has contributed to such soundtracks as Flashdance, Top Gun and Scarface. Zito has produced more than 40 chart hits and was named Billboard Magazine's "Producer of The Year" in 1990.
Larry Lee notes, "YMA is a part of the rise of the Indies, a trend revolutionizing the label space where Majors once dominated. Positioning itself somewhere in the middle between the Independents and Majors, Your Music America is a highly capitalized, fully functional boutique label driven by musical expertise and business savvy investors."
Zito adds, "We are an artist centric company, focusing on the development and enrichment of the artists we sign."
More on Amy Brandt and WMC: Amy Brandt is President and CEO of WMC Mortgage, one of the largest mortgage originators in the country. It was Brandt's enthusiasm for business and passion for music led her to noted music industry vet, Larry Lee, who wrote and produced a benefit song for a national charity on behalf of Brandt while at WMC.
Amy Brandt noted, "Like all strong businesses, I believe the music industry needs new energy and new creative forces to stay ahead of the curve. With Mr. Lee and Mr. Zito at the helm, I am confident that we can make our new Your Music America label a tremendous success." Before she became president and COO of WMC in June 2003, Brandt was Executive VP-Production, responsible for sales and marketing. Prior to that, she was the company's top producer, a feat she accomplished in only her third month with WMC. As her production topped $101 million, she has trained and managed several other staffers to achieve the same record results.
As CEO of WMC, Brandt is no stranger to breaking barriers. In 2004 Amy became one of the mortgage lending industry's few women senior-level executives and the youngest and first female leader in the company's history. In April of that year, she announced GE Consumer Finance was buying WMC. WMC Mortgage is one of the largest nonprime mortgage lenders in the country, with nine regional processing centers in California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and Washington and a correspondent-lending center in Costa Mesa, Calif.
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Elton John in Central Park
Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Harmony

Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding

Laughter in the Rain

Chuck Berry
Johnny B. Goode

Eikichi YAZAWA
Rockin' My Heart

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