Dean Madonia

Genre: Acoustic / Country / Rock

Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Dean Madonia was born and raised Kalamazoo Michigan. Dean is both a musician, and a visual artist, and has been playing piano professionally since age 8 when he began to perform during his musician father's breaks at the local Ramada Inn piano bar. Picking up the guitar at age 13, Dean performed his originals in various coffeehouses and bars throughout high-school and while attending Central Michigan University. At Central, Dean starred for two seasons in a local PBS children's television show Acorns and Oak-trees , where he was required to write and perform a song live each week for an audience consisting mostly of faculty children.
Moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the eighties, Dean performed and recorded with over 40 original and cover bands and opened for such diverse acts as: New Grass Revival, Steve Vai, Dee Dee Ramone, Company B, Dottie West, The Romantics, and Ygnwie Malmsteen . In the 90's, Dean's original band, Third Wish/Wyscan released a three song self- titled EP as Third wish. After a name change they released a full length CD also titled Third Wish which was distributed through jazz/fusion guitarist Bon Lozaga's label, Lo Lo Records . On completion of that CD, Dean left Wyscan to record and release his first solo CD, Deep Sky which was released in 1998 to excellent reviews.
Dean began to concentrate more on writing while working in Jon Secada's production studio Heaven Studios with ProTools guru and producer Charles Dye and "Dove" award-winning songwriter Tom McWilliams. There he wrote, recorded and produced for different music projects, signing four songs with Tom under single song contracts with Emilio Estefan's company, Foreign Imported Publishing .
Dean has been making trips to Nashville to write and perform since 1999, and finally settled there in 2002 where he has made a living playing music, performing as a solo act, with his band, and with many Nashville stars including Julie Roberts, Gary Allan and Billy Currington.

Here are some videos:
Dean's Song, "(I Called Her) Tennessee," was released as a single for Tim Dugger on Curb Records, peaking at #40 on the Music Row Chart."
Dean's song "Honor Is Ours," co-written with Keith Ridenour and Scott Avery, is on the soundtrack for the movie "Foodfight!" now available on DVD.
Dean's solo country CD "Country and Midwestern," is available for sale at Cd Baby, Tower Records, Best Buy, iTunes, and many other places.
Dean's rock collaboration with childhood friend, Greg Curvey is called "Pretty Little Horses," and is available from all of the usual digital sources as well as CD Baby.
Dean's 26 track, concept CD, "Shadow To Shadow, Dean Madonia's Frankenstein," is being mastered and will be available in the fall of 2013.


Transcript from an Interview with Dean Madonia
70's and 80's influenced music informed by 90's alt. Often compared to Elton John, Toad the Wet Sprocket, David Silvan, Kevin Gilbert, Toy Matinee, Tonic, Coldplay, Radiohead, Blind Melon.

Why this name?

I was in a Prog-rock band with guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg called "Third Wish," who had to change their name due to a conflict with another band. We changed to "Wyscan," which means wish in olde english. The band didn't last long after the name change. I decided to choose a name that couldn't be stolen - my own!

Do you play live?

I play all over the country as a solo act. The Dean Madonia Band has mostly performed between Miami and Nashvile. I relocated to Nashville in 2002 to write for a living. I still perform as a solo or with my band and at writers nights. I play covers for a living right now.

Here are a couple videos from my recent gig at the Bluebird:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQyrYirf_KA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY5XdvXGwwU

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?

So far it has only hurt the industry as we have known it, causing some labels to close and others to merge and all of them to cut back their rosters. I initially blame the labels for this - being too slow to get online and not offering choices for listeners, ie: releasing lame CDs with only one good song....I also blame the FCC and large radio conglomerates like the evil Clearchannel for restricting the variety of music. The industry will change. I think that mp3's are great for unsigned artists. I have had a lot of bookings because of a person hearing my music online. I think that the internet is a great equalizer, it doesn't really level the playing field, but it puts us no-names out there, and though the web is cluttered with a lot of "disposable" music, hopefully the good songs will live on. I think that the "music like water" theory will prove to be correct, but there will always be some people who want to hold some sort of product in their hands.

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

Yes, if the deal was right for me. I would like to focus mostly on internet promotion, occasional live internet concerts, and SMALL tours in my region, solo and with the band. I am also especially interested in having other groups record my songs.

Your influences?

I was first influenced by Folk - Simon and Garfunkle, Cat Stevens, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, (even Peter Paul and Mary)etc. In college, I had two room-mates who were active music fans. One of them, Dan Luytjes, was a DJ on the college radio station. I was introduced then to what is now considered clasic rock (especially the Beatles) and English Prog-rock (Genesis, Yes, UK, King Crimson). My most recent influences are Coldplay, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, and Tori Amos. I also love songwriters like Carole King, Jimmy Webb, Randy Newman, Tom Waites, John Prine.
Some of my favorite voices in rock are: Sting, Elton John, Felix Cavaliere (of the Rascals), Burton Cummings (of the Guess Who), Steve Perry (of Journey), Lou Gramm (of Foreigner), Paul Rodgers (of Bad Company), Chris Robinson (The Black Crows), Peter Ham (of Badfinger) and Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket).

Favorite spot?

Every few years I travel to the boundary waters canoe area (located on the border of Canada and Minnesota). It is the best, most pristine and peaceful place I have been. Other than that - Home - with my family...

Anything else...?

I am trying to concentrate mostly on my songwriting. I am living in Music City USA, where many of the best writers live. It is a pleasure to be able to drive 10 minutes and see them perform at the Bluebird. I am focusing on writing country music, but I still write and record Rock. I am interested in having other people record my pop/rock and country material. I feel fortunate to have met many great performers and song-writers here who have inspired or out-right help my career.

Equipment used:
I have about 15 keyboards, some vintage (like my poly six and yamaha cs-10), some new (I love my emu orbit), some virtual (sample tank and Meta synth) and a Yamaha grand pianoI have a guitar and bass collection, a violin, an accordion, a drum set and a small amp collection as well as a Pod pro. I record with Pro-tools...


Official website: http://deanmadonia.com/home.html

MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/deanmadoniamusic