Artists:Tom Principato And Danny Gatton

Tom Principato

Tom Principato has spent the last 40+ years as a guitarist and singer based in his hometown of Washington, D.C. In the 1970's, Tom was leader of the legendary band Powerhouse, an East Coast phenomenem who released an album "Night Life" to critical acclaim. Tom also did a one year stint with Geoff Muldaur and recorded an album "I Ain't Drunk" (Hannibal/Island Records 1980) with the band Geoff Muldaur and His Bad Feet members of which included Andy Stein (Asleep At The Wheel), Mark Kazanoff (Earl King) and Sarah Brown (Lou Ann Barton). Tom has also done brief stints with various acts including Billy Price And The Keystone Rhythm Band, Big Mama Thornton, Sunnyland Slim, James Montgomery, and a group called The Assassins with Jimmy Thackery, former guiatrist with The Nighthawks. Tom appears on two albums with the Assassins, "No Previous Record" (1986) and "Partners In Crime" (1987) which won a "Wammy Award".

In 1984 Tom began a solo career, notably recording a live album with the late Washington guitar legend Danny Gatton titled "Blazing Telecasters". This album was considered by The National Academy Of Recorded Arts And Sciences (NARAS) for a Grammy Nomination.

Since 1984 Tom has released:

• Smokin’! (1986)
• I Know What You’re Thinkin’… (1989)
• Blazing Telecasters (1990)
• In Orbit (1990)
• Hot Stuff (l991 – out of print)
• Tip Of The Iceberg (l992)
• In The Clouds (1995)
• Really Blue (1997)
• Blues Over the Years (1998)
• Live and Kickin’ (1999)
• Not One Word… (2000)
• Live In Europe 1988 (2001)
• Fingers On Fire with Pete Kennedy (2002)
• House On Fire (2003)
• Oh No! More Blazing Telecasters (2005)
• Guitar Gumbo (2005)

Also two DVDs: "Blazing Telecasters" from a show recorded for Maryland Public Televsion in 1984 with Danny Gatton "Anniversary DVD", a career retrospective. (2003)

The band has toured clubs and festivals extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe including Norway, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, France, Slovenia, Finland, Italy, Sardegna, Corsica, Spain, Portugal, Majorca, Menorca, St. Croix, and even Greece and Turkey!

In addition to winning first place in the WHFS/Harmony Hut "Guitar Talent Hunt" (1980) Tom has won a total of 22 "WAMMY" Awards from the Washington Area Music Association. In 1986, "Smokin'!" won three Wammy Awards; Best Blues Album, Best Male Vocalist-Blues, and Best Blues Instrumentalist. In 1987 Tom won four Wammy Awards; Best Artist/Group-Blues, Best Male Vocalist-Blues, Best Instrumentalist-Blues, and Best Recording-Blues for The Assassins "Partners In Crime" album. In 1988 Tom won three more Wammies; Best Blues Recording-"I Know What You're Thinkin'...", Best Artist/Group-Blues, and Best Instrumentalist-Blues. Tom also won Best Instrumentalist-Blues in 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, and 2001, plus Best Male Vocalist-Blues in 1997. In 1999 "Live & Kickin'" won Best Blues Recording, and Tom Principato Band won Best Blues Group. In 2003 "House On Fire" won Best Blues Recording. In 2006 "Guitar Gumbo" won best Blues Recording and Tom won Best Blues Vocalist. Tom Principato Band was also voted "Blues Act Of The Year"-1997 and "Blues Act Of The Month" for Oct. 1997 by the listeners of "Talkin' Blues Radio" Koln, Germany and Gitarre & Bass Magazine.

Since the 1990's Tom has signed endorsement agreements with Fender Electric Guitar Co., DR String Co., Seymour Duncan pickups, and Roger Mayer effects pedals. (Roger Mayer personally made effects pedals and experimental electronic gadgets for Jimi Hendrix).

Tom's 1992 Recording "Tip Of The Iceberg" was co-produced by Chuck Leavell, a keyboard player who has played with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band, and Sea Level. Chuck also appears on Tom's "Really Blue" CD. In 1995 Tom's song "In The Clouds" was considered for another Grammy nomination.

In 2000 Tom's book "Open-String Guitar Chords" was published world-wide by Hal Leonard Corporation.

Tom Principato's websites are: www.TomPrincipato.com and www.PowerhouseRecords.com

Danny Gatton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Danny Gatton (September 4, 1945 – 4 October 1994) was a talented and enigmatic American guitarist who committed suicide at his Maryland home in 1994 while still relatively unknown to the public.

Gatton was born in Washington, DC on September 4, 1945. His father, Daniel W. Gatton Sr., was a former rhythm guitarist known for his unique percussive style, who left his musical career to raise his family in a more stable profession. The younger Gatton grew up to share his father's passion for the instrument.

Gatton's playing combined musical styles such as jazz, blues and rockabilly in an innovative fashion, and he was known by some as "the telemaster" or "the world's greatest unknown guitarist". However, he never achieved the commercial success that his talent arguably deserved. His skills were most appreciated by his peers such as Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, and his childhood idol Les Paul.

Danny Gatton made his name as a performer in the Washington, D.C. area during the 1980s, both as a solo performer and with his Redneck Jazz Explosion, in which he would trade licks with virtuoso pedal steel player Buddy Emmons over a tight bass-drums rhythm which drew from blues, country, bebop and rockabilly influences. He also backed Robert Gordon and Roger Miller.

He usually played a 1953 Fender Telecaster (Fender now manufactures a replica of his heavily customized instrument), with Joe Barden pickups and Fender Super 250L's, or Nickel Plated Steel (.010 to .046 with a .015 for the G) strings. As a slide Gatton would use a beer bottle or mug.

His technique was unorthodox, but allowed him to use all ten fingers for both picking and fretting. He always played with a jazz style teardrop pick, and was capable of intricate passages combining bluegrass, bebop, and garage sounds, executed with amazing clarity and at dizzying speeds.

The definitive biography is Unfinished Business: The Life and Times of Danny Gatton by Ralph Heibutzki.

See also

• Danny Gatton and Joey DeFancesco
• Tom Principato