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Tony Natalizio |
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Tony Natalizio
Tony Natalizio is a professional musician with a concentration on performance and education both on guitar and voice. Based in Detroit, MI, Tony plays a wide variety of styles of music and draws influence from rock, country, blues, and jazz. Tony contributes not just his versatility on guitar, but also the ability to sing lead and background vocals, as well as participate in choreography and put on a high-energy, crowd-interactive show.
Tony is an experienced touring guitar player, having been in such bands as The Slags, a top level variety band in Houston, TX, The In10City band, a high end, high energy corporate/wedding band, Spare Change, a top regional party band in North Carolina, and various acts around Houston, TX and Raleigh, NC. He also performs as a solo act or fill in musician for many playing situations.
Tony has extensive experience on both sides of the soundboard live and in the studio. He has worked as a performing and a recording artist. He has toured as a monitor and front-of-house engineer and he has an AAS degree in Entertainment Technology and a BA in Business.
A native of Wooster, Ohio, Tony began playing music at around age 10, starting on the saxophone. Soon after, he discovered the guitar and has been playing ever since. He moved to North Carolina in 2008 after a 4-year term in the United States Marine Corps. Then moved to Houston, TX in 2017 where his career continued to flourish. He has had various jobs in the music business including working as a house engineer in various clubs, an intern at Music Mania Studios in Snow Camp, NC, and studio session work.
He is married to his lovely wife, Amanda, and they have three young sons, Alaric, Lucian, and Stellan.
Welcome aboard, Tony!
Follow Tony on Facebook www.facebook.com/tnatmusic or his website www.tnatmusic.com
Exclusive Interview
What are you working on?
Right now I’m in the middle of a move from Houston, TX to Detroit, MI. I’m working on getting connected in the Detroit area and finding players and gigs. I’ve had a lot of great people help me out with some connections and information about the city and music scene. Thanks again ya’ll. I’m also working on getting some of my music out. I’ve spent a lot of time playing guitar for bands and artists, which has been really great, and I’d like to have some more of my own music out there. And then of course just practicing guitar and singing trying to get better everyday.
What is your musical background and influence?
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Tony's Gear
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I started out playing saxophone in the school band. I learned about music and how to read music and those skills definitely were a huge help later on in my life and career. I picked up guitar somewhere around 12. Mostly just around the house. Sometimes my parents would hire bands for parties and I’d get to sit in for a song or two. I got a lot more serious about practicing guitar around age 20 and pretty much decided I wanted to be a musician. I was in the USMC at the time so it was hard to get any kind of solid group together because people would come and go. I left the Marine Corps and went to Guilford Technical Community College and earned a degree in Recording Engineering and later a Bachelor of Business from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. I started teaching private lessons while in college and did so for about 8 years at Shomaker Guitars in Burlington, NC. I began playing in bands and just kind of went from there. This was the start of my musical career.
Some of my main guitar influences are Greg Koch and Danny Gatton, along with all the regular guitar heroes. I grew up listening to classic rock/blues radio and 90’s country. The funny thing about country music is that I hated it when I was younger. My grandmother would play it on her bus route, and I was forced to listen to it. Now, the 90's era country guitar is one of my favorite styles. I continue to be influenced with all the insane players out there today. They are readily available on social media. It’s pretty awesome.
What is the role of education in music?
I think it’s very important, especially at a young age, so you can discover what you like and to expand the mind. Learning about different styles of music and techniques will enhance your musical vocabulary and determine the type of player you will become. No matter you’re given style, there’s always a way to dive deeper and new things to master. Learning anything is great, and there is so much to learn in every aspect of life and music. Being involved in some level of formal education can help with communication with other musicians, hone your playing style, improve your skills in the music business, etc. The quest for knowledge should never end. From what I've learned from successful musicians is that you have to constantly grow and change. Music is an art and there are no rules. With that being said, I think constant education is becoming increasingly necessary. Musicians are having to do a lot on their own these days: booking, managing, writing, social media, etc. You’ve got to keep learning and expanding in many areas to continue to grow, take advantage of opportunities, and rise to the occasion. The internet is a wonderful thing. There is so much knowledge at your fingertips that it's hard to not learn.
How do you feel about the current state of music today?
I think this is a hot topic. It seems there is a lot of controversy on what is good and what isn't, especially in today's pop and country music. I say “it is what it is.” There is amazing music being made and something for everyone, but sometimes you have a dig a little. There are a lot of unknowns as we dive deeper into the age of music streaming. Where does it go from here? Artists/songwriters started low on the totem pole in streaming, so I’m not sure what will happen with that. Hopefully it will balance out so artists and songwriters get paid better for their music. It’s a complex industry with so many different ways to work it. I’m learning that you’ve got to find your own path because it doesn’t necessarily work the same for everyone. The industry is always changing. I’m just trying to figure out how to play the game and how to make it all work for me. I try not to dwell on the negative aspects and find the positive avenues that will work for me.
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