Meet Peter Gallinari | Keyboardist/Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Peter Gallinari and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Peter, why did you pursue a creative career?
Was there a choice? lol It was in my DNA. I started to tinker on an 11 key keyboard at the age of 7. I would listen to songs and try to copy the melody on the keyboard. From there it went to bigger and better things. More opportunities when I lived in Brooklyn as a teen and then as an adult and the journey began. It was a way for me to express myself. I had a pretty sucky childhood, not for any reasons of my family, they were great. Just kids being kids and I happen to be the one that was consistently picked on every day from grammar school and right through high school years. So music was my outlet. And I am so grateful for all those kids who picked on me lol. I turned that into a positive which helped me in my aggressiveness with my music, so I thank them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I have been a Keyboardist/Singer/Songwriter my whole career. Having all three musical talents has allowed me to make a musical contribution when performing with other artists. I have always credited my start as a result of meeting both Angel Wallenda (of the flying Wallenda’s and Richie Scarlet, with Richie setting the path for me and helping to teach things I never knew in music performance. What I learned over the years with music that the playing part is fun, and you have the creative part of it that is self rewarding, but its the business side where you have the challenges. I try to tell younger artists that in order to succeed, someone has to like you. Nowadays there are many great players out there, and if you have a real sucky attitude and think you’re all it… well guess what…. there is some little 10 year old that can probably out play you lol. Keep the ego in check and know how to listen. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be playing your ass off onstage like a rock star lol It means behind the scenes try to be real. I have always made a choice to surround myself with people who are better than me. This will always keep you challenged at any age. You will always learn something from someone else.

I have been proud of many of my accomplishments, and they didn’t come easy. In 1995 when we had the Oklahoma terrorist attack on US soil, I had written a song called ‘Tell me Why’, and by chance the song got to Oklahoma via a pastor in NY. Before you knew it, I was on TV stations, Radio and Newspaper articles across the nation. What I didn’t know is that I was the only one at that time who wrote a song. This was just one of the things that happened to me a couple of years after meeting Angel Wallenda. From there I wrote other recognized songs for horrific events. And as mentioned I met Richie Scarlet where I became his keyboardist on many of his CD’s releases and concerts. Most recently, I got the opportunity to perform on three of Mary Wilson’s songs of The Supremes. Producer Paul Brewer took a chance on me and gave me this opportunity, which is a great honor. The short of it all is, stay humble, stay true to what you believe in, and if you can help someone else, reach out and give a hand. It’s not easy out there.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
You will always have to show them downtown, even with all the madness at times on the weekends lol But it is an experience for someone new to check out. Then I would definitely show them the non downtown venues. Places like 3rd & Lindsley (The Time Jumpers), Rudy’s Jazz room, Listening room (for some upcoming artists), City Winery, Music Hall of Fame, Music City Grill, The Palace, Gaylord during the holidays is amazing, Grand Ole Opry Tour or a show. There are way to many to list, but these are some tourist types of things.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

There are two people who supported my music efforts and took me under their wings when I first started performing with well known rock artists. Richie Scarlet better known as ‘The Emperor Of Rock’ is the person who really kick started my music career. He had faith in my abilities as a performer, and even more so, he really challenged me with my music abilities in areas I didn’t think I was capable of. His patients were amazing, but his supportive attitude always kept things positive even if I was struggling. Because of Richie, I not only had the opportunity to meet rock legends that I thought I would never meet, but to now be on stage or in the studio recording with them still makes me wonder how it all happened. Something I still cherish to this day.

My next person is someone who actually kept me going with my music career prior to meeting Richie. Her name is Angel Wallenda of the flying Wallenda’s. Just like Richie, you need to look up these people (Google). Angel walked the high wire with a prosthetic leg (Due to cancer), which is just about impossible to do. Without going into all the details, I got to know Angel and became friends. She came to my house and wanted to hear me play music. After hours of playing for her, she made a statement that one day I will make it in the music business. At this point I was already 43 years old and basically told her I was over the hill and that would never happen. Well, she really got upset at me and said you need to have faith. So I basically just went along with her so she wouldn’t be upset at me and just left it alone. Angel was probably the most positive person I have ever met. Remember, when they had to amputate her leg from the knee down, she was told that she could never walk the wire again, well she did. Angel eventually lost her life due to the cancer that had spread over the years and passed in 1996. I wrote a song for Angel that day when we met. She left to go home and that night I was so inspired by her that the song I wrote ‘Life on The Wire’ was her theme song. I think of her in spirit when I sit in my music room and still hear her telling me to continue what I do. And just a few years after that in 2000 I met Richie Scarlet and everything has just been a journey. Meeting other talented people and getting some great opportunities. I will always remember her. I want to also thank Hammond for letting me be part of the Hammond Family for many years and enjoy such a great machine like the Hammond Organ. Thanks Scott May and the late Gregory Gronowski who were very gracious for bringing me onboard as one of the family.

Website: www.petergallinarimusic.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-gallinari-5a8bab8/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peter.gallinari/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYtKik0y-4-e2IRhCDAp7JA

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