Gino Vannelli
Encyclopedia
Gino Vannelli is an Italian-Canadian
singer, songwriter
, musician
and composer
.
, Quebec
, Vannelli is one of three sons (Joe
, Gino, and Ross) born to Russ and Delia Vannelli. Russ, his father, was a big band
musician. As a child, Gino's greatest passion was music, and he began playing percussion at an early age. By the age of 15, Gino began writing songs. Just out of high school, he signed his first recording contract with RCA
under the pseudonym Vann Elli, but went on to study music at McGill University
.
, Vannelli and his brothers went to Los Angeles, California
in a financially distraught and desperate state to wait outside trumpeter Herb Alpert
's locked gate for an audition. Alpert was Gino's last hope prior to heading back to Montreal the next day. Alpert liked what he heard and two days later signed Gino with his A&M Records
, releasing his first album in 1973. Gino's brother, Joe
, served as arranger and keyboardist for most of his recording career. At a time when polyphonic synthesizers were non-existent, Joe overdubbed multiple parts to create a texture of sound that was progressive for the early 1970s.
In 1974, "People Gotta Move" made it to #22 on the Billboard Top 100. On 15 February 1975, Vannelli became the second Caucasian
performer to appear on Soul Train
(Dennis Coffey
appeared on 8 January 1972). This was his television debut. With his records climbing the charts, Vannelli toured as the opening act for Stevie Wonder
. In 1978, the song "I Just Wanna Stop" earned Gino an American Grammy Award
nomination and was a number #1 single in Canada (#4 in United States). Vannelli's album "Brother To Brother" was certified platinum in early 1979. Gino won Canada's Juno Award
for Best Male Artist. Vannelli also won Juno Awards in 1976
and 1979
. Gino's additional recordings of the 1970s include: "Crazy Life," "Powerful People," "Storm at Sunup," "The Gist of the Gemini" and "A Pauper in Paradise".
satirized Gino in Episode 4 of SCTV/Network 90
also in 1981. The Vannelli brothers shared the Juno Award for Recording Engineer of the Year
in 1986 for "Black Cars". The prestigious Juno Award was again shared by the Vannelli brothers in 1987 for Recording Engineer of the Year for "Wild Horses" and "Young Lover". Gino's additional recordings of the 1980s era include: "Nightwalker" and "Big Dreamers Never Sleep."
During this time he married his wife, Patricia, and with whom he would have a son, Anton.
singer Martine St. Clair
recorded "Wheels of Life" as a duet with Vannelli as well as a French-language version called "L'Amour Est Loi". On Vannelli's next CD release, Yonder Tree, he pays homage to his roots in jazz
(apparent on his earlier albums). On Yonder Tree, Gino sings a musical tribute to the renowned poet
, author
and humanitarian Walt Whitman
, in "Walter Whitman, Where Are You?" Vannelli's additional recordings of the 1990s include: "Live in Montreal," and "Slow Love".
The latest recordings released by Vannelli are "Canto" and "These Are the Days". He surprised the music world by revealing his operatic license in "Canto", which heralds Vannelli's superlative vocals in Italian
, French
, Spanish
and English
. The Northwest Orchestral Assembly is also featured on the "Canto" recording, which aired on CBC
in Canada
. Vannelli was commissioned by the Vatican
to perform for Pope John Paul II
. On the "Canto" recording is a loving tribute to Vannelli's father titled, "Parole Per Mio Padre", which was also a favorite of Pope John Paul II. Vannelli's electrifying vocals and music garnered rave reviews for "Canto". "These Are the Days" made yet another hit; a wonderful combination of Vannelli's new releases and classics.
, Netherlands
and in the United States
. His music is also heard on popular European television and radio commercials. When not in concert, Gino is actively working on various projects and teaching Master classes.
In March 2007, Vannelli performed in Las Vegas
to sold-out shows. By request, encore performances were given two months later at the Flamingo Showroom. In November 2007, Vannelli gave three sold out performances in New Orleans, Louisiana
. The concerts were a humanitarian effort with proceeds benefiting local charities. By popular demand, Vannelli continues to tour globally.http://ginovannelli.tripod.com/tour/data.html
In 2008, Vannelli became a symbol of sorts for the National Basketball Association
championship run by the Boston Celtics
. After each home victory during the 2008 season, the video crew at the TD Banknorth Garden
played a clip from Dick Clark's American Bandstand
that featured a mustachioed disco dancer clad in a tight Gino Vannelli t-shirt. The tradition became known in Boston as "Gino Time" and Gino t-shirts became common at Celtics games.http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/13/gino_night_fever/
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2008 that the dancer in the Gino shirt was a man named Joseph R. Massoni
, who passed away of pneumonia in 1990.http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/06/gino_dances_in.html
In October 2007, Vannelli performed in a small setting with Dutch sextet Uropa in the small yet renowned music cafe "De Noot" in Hoogland near Amersfoort.
Italian-Canadian
An Italian Canadian is a Canadian of Italian descent or heritage. According to the 2006 census of Canada, 1,445,335 Canadians consider themselves to be of Italian origin. The Italian-Canadian population climbed by more than 12% and half have combined Italian origins along with another ethnic...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Early years
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Vannelli is one of three sons (Joe
Joe Vannelli
Joe Vannelli , is an Italian-Canadian musician, composer and record producer. He was credited on most records of his brother, Gino Vannelli, and in collaboration with youngest brother Ross Vannelli, the three have won many awards.Vannelli studied music theory in Montreal, and learned to play piano...
, Gino, and Ross) born to Russ and Delia Vannelli. Russ, his father, was a big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
musician. As a child, Gino's greatest passion was music, and he began playing percussion at an early age. By the age of 15, Gino began writing songs. Just out of high school, he signed his first recording contract with RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
under the pseudonym Vann Elli, but went on to study music at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
.
1970s
After a stint in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Vannelli and his brothers went to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in a financially distraught and desperate state to wait outside trumpeter Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
's locked gate for an audition. Alpert was Gino's last hope prior to heading back to Montreal the next day. Alpert liked what he heard and two days later signed Gino with his A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, releasing his first album in 1973. Gino's brother, Joe
Joe Vannelli
Joe Vannelli , is an Italian-Canadian musician, composer and record producer. He was credited on most records of his brother, Gino Vannelli, and in collaboration with youngest brother Ross Vannelli, the three have won many awards.Vannelli studied music theory in Montreal, and learned to play piano...
, served as arranger and keyboardist for most of his recording career. At a time when polyphonic synthesizers were non-existent, Joe overdubbed multiple parts to create a texture of sound that was progressive for the early 1970s.
In 1974, "People Gotta Move" made it to #22 on the Billboard Top 100. On 15 February 1975, Vannelli became the second Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
performer to appear on Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
(Dennis Coffey
Dennis Coffey
Dennis Coffey is an American guitarist. He was a studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings.-Biography:Coffey learned to play guitar at the age of thirteen, in the Michigan Upper Peninsula town of Copper City...
appeared on 8 January 1972). This was his television debut. With his records climbing the charts, Vannelli toured as the opening act for Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
. In 1978, the song "I Just Wanna Stop" earned Gino an American Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination and was a number #1 single in Canada (#4 in United States). Vannelli's album "Brother To Brother" was certified platinum in early 1979. Gino won Canada's Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Best Male Artist. Vannelli also won Juno Awards in 1976
Juno Awards of 1976
The Juno Awards of 1976, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 15 March 1976 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by John Allan Cameron at the Ryerson Polytechnic Institute...
and 1979
Juno Awards of 1979
The Juno Awards of 1979, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 21 March 1979 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by Burton Cummings at the Harbour Castle Hilton Convention Centre....
. Gino's additional recordings of the 1970s include: "Crazy Life," "Powerful People," "Storm at Sunup," "The Gist of the Gemini" and "A Pauper in Paradise".
1980s
In April 1981, "Living Inside Myself" was on Billboard's Top 100 at number 6. Canadian comedy legend Eugene LevyEugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...
satirized Gino in Episode 4 of SCTV/Network 90
Second City Television
Second City Television is a Canadian television sketch comedy show offshoot from Toronto's The Second City troupe that ran between 1976 and 1984.- Premise :...
also in 1981. The Vannelli brothers shared the Juno Award for Recording Engineer of the Year
Juno Award for Recording Engineer of the Year
The Juno Award for "Recording Engineer of the Year" has been awarded since 1976, as recognition each year for the best recording engineer in Canada.- Recording Engineer of the Year :* 1976 - Michel Ethier, Dompierre by François Dompierre...
in 1986 for "Black Cars". The prestigious Juno Award was again shared by the Vannelli brothers in 1987 for Recording Engineer of the Year for "Wild Horses" and "Young Lover". Gino's additional recordings of the 1980s era include: "Nightwalker" and "Big Dreamers Never Sleep."
During this time he married his wife, Patricia, and with whom he would have a son, Anton.
1990s
In 1990, the album Inconsolable Man delivered new releases by Vannelli to excellent reviews. In 1991, the Vannelli brothers shared the Juno Award once again, for "The Time of Day" and "Sunset on L.A.", both from the Inconsolable Man CD. In 1993, French-speaking QuebecerFrench-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
singer Martine St. Clair
Martine St. Clair
Martine St. Clair is a Canadian singer from the province of Quebec. She has released numerous albums in a career that has spanned over two decades....
recorded "Wheels of Life" as a duet with Vannelli as well as a French-language version called "L'Amour Est Loi". On Vannelli's next CD release, Yonder Tree, he pays homage to his roots in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
(apparent on his earlier albums). On Yonder Tree, Gino sings a musical tribute to the renowned poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and humanitarian Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
, in "Walter Whitman, Where Are You?" Vannelli's additional recordings of the 1990s include: "Live in Montreal," and "Slow Love".
The latest recordings released by Vannelli are "Canto" and "These Are the Days". He surprised the music world by revealing his operatic license in "Canto", which heralds Vannelli's superlative vocals in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The Northwest Orchestral Assembly is also featured on the "Canto" recording, which aired on CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Vannelli was commissioned by the Vatican
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
to perform for Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. On the "Canto" recording is a loving tribute to Vannelli's father titled, "Parole Per Mio Padre", which was also a favorite of Pope John Paul II. Vannelli's electrifying vocals and music garnered rave reviews for "Canto". "These Are the Days" made yet another hit; a wonderful combination of Vannelli's new releases and classics.
2000s and beyond
Gino Vannelli lives and works in AmersfoortAmersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His music is also heard on popular European television and radio commercials. When not in concert, Gino is actively working on various projects and teaching Master classes.
In March 2007, Vannelli performed in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to sold-out shows. By request, encore performances were given two months later at the Flamingo Showroom. In November 2007, Vannelli gave three sold out performances in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. The concerts were a humanitarian effort with proceeds benefiting local charities. By popular demand, Vannelli continues to tour globally.http://ginovannelli.tripod.com/tour/data.html
In 2008, Vannelli became a symbol of sorts for the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
championship run by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. After each home victory during the 2008 season, the video crew at the TD Banknorth Garden
TD Banknorth Garden
TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, N.A. and is often simply referred to by local Bostonians as, The Garden, The Fleet Center, or the traditional Boston Garden...
played a clip from Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
that featured a mustachioed disco dancer clad in a tight Gino Vannelli t-shirt. The tradition became known in Boston as "Gino Time" and Gino t-shirts became common at Celtics games.http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/13/gino_night_fever/
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2008 that the dancer in the Gino shirt was a man named Joseph R. Massoni
Joseph R. Massoni
Joseph R. Massoni became famous for appearing in an episode of American Bandstand in 1977, a clip of which showing him dancing is commonly played on the Jumbotron of the TD Banknorth Garden during Boston Celtics games. Typically the clip is only played in the 4th quarter when a Celtic victory is...
, who passed away of pneumonia in 1990.http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/06/gino_dances_in.html
In October 2007, Vannelli performed in a small setting with Dutch sextet Uropa in the small yet renowned music cafe "De Noot" in Hoogland near Amersfoort.
Albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1973 | Crazy Life |
| 1974 | Powerful People Powerful People Powerful People is the title of both the second studio album of Italian-Canadian singer Gino Vannelli, and the sixth track on this album. The album was released in 1974, and was produced by Gino and his brother Joe Vannelli.... |
| 1975 | Storm At Sunup |
| 1976 | The Gist of the Gemini The Gist of the Gemini The Gist of the Gemini is the fourth studio album of Italian-Canadian singer Gino Vannelli. The album was released in 1976 and was produced by Gino and his brother Joe Vannelli, together with Geoff Emerick.... |
| 1977 | A Pauper in Paradise A Pauper in Paradise A Pauper in Paradise is the fifth studio album by Italian-Canadian singer Gino Vannelli.- Track listing :All music and lyrics by Gino Vannelli.Side 1# "Mardi Gras" – 3:26# "Valleys of Valhalla" – 4:23... |
| 1978 | Brother to Brother Brother to Brother (Gino Vannelli album) Brother to Brother is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer Gino Vannelli. The album was released in 1978. The album featured "I Just Wanna Stop", Gino's highest-charting single to date in both the US and Canada, where the single reached #4 and #1 respectively, as well as the singles "Wheels... |
| 1981 | Nightwalker |
| 1985 | Black Cars Black Cars Black Cars is the eighth album by Gino Vannelli released in 1985. Co-produced with his brothers Joe and Ross, the album has a distinctive 80s sound with heavy use of Yamaha keyboards and synthesizers... |
| 1987 | Big Dreamers Never Sleep |
| 1990 | Inconsolable Man |
| 1991 | Live in Montreal |
| 1995 | Yonder Tree |
| 1998 | Slow Love |
| 2003 | Canto |
| 2006 | These Are the Days |
| 2009 | A Good Thing |
| 2009 | Stardust in the Sand |
| 2010 | The Best And Beyond |
Singles
| Year | Song | Canada Singles Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US A.C. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "People Gotta Move" | 21 | 22 | 17 |
| 1975 | "Powerful People" | 34 | — | — |
| "Love Me Now" | 75 | — | — | |
| 1976 | "Love of My Life" | 55 | 64 | — |
| 1978 | "I Just Wanna Stop" | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 1979 | "Wheels of Life" | 31 | 78 | 24 |
| "The River Must Flow" | 80 | — | — | |
| 1981 | "Living Inside Myself" | 13 | 6 | 5 |
| "Nightwalker" | — | 41 | — | |
| 1982 | "The Longer You Wait" | — | 89 | — |
| 1984 | "Appaloosa" | — | — | — |
| 1985 | "Black Cars" | 4 | 42 | — |
| "Hurts to Be in Love" | 19 | 57 | 6 | |
| "Just A Motion Away" | 79 | — | — | |
| 1987 | "Wild Horses" | 7 | 55 | 33 |
| "In the Name of Money" | 51 | — | — | |
| "Persona Non Grata" | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | "The Time of Day" | 11 | — | — |
| 1991 | "Cry of Love" | 41 | — | — |
| "If I Should Lose This Love" | 46 | — | 49 | |
| 1993 | "Wheels of Life" with Martine St. Clair Martine St. Clair Martine St. Clair is a Canadian singer from the province of Quebec. She has released numerous albums in a career that has spanned over two decades.... |
— | — | — |
| 1995 | "I Die A Little More Each Day" | 60 | — | — |
| 2006 | "It's Only Love" | — | — | — |