Greg Bennett Guitars - Artist Profile

Producer Dino Maddalone

: Dino in the studio with his collection of Greg Bennett guitars

World class Record Producer Dino Maddalone has been producing and engineering records for over 15 year in his Torrance, California production facility. But to say that Dino is just a Producer or Recording Engineer is to sell him short. In addition to his studio savvy, Dino spent years in the trenches as a professional musician honing his skills not only as a player, but as a gifted music composer and song crafter.

Dino was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to talk about his recent work, his experience as a musician, and how Greg Bennett guitars fit into his studio sound.

Greg Bennett Guitars: Can you bring us up to date on what's been happening lately?

Dino Maddalone: I just signed a very nice contract to compose all the music for new Television show called "Chick Trips." I am also the Music Supervisor for the show. My studio will also be doing all the post production including the mixing and sound effects. I composed the theme song which they bought outright from me. I did keep all my writers royalties, which is always a good thing. I also just finished producing/recording/mixing the new Kris Searle album. He is an artist from England. We are already getting heavy rotation on the BBC in London and Kent. The music is great rock/pop.

GBG: You are known as a top notch producer and engineer, but you are also a musician who has played in many bands. Can you give us some back ground on you past career as a musician and comment on how that experience has helped you to hone your skills as a producer/engineer.

Dino: That list would be too long as I started playing in bands when I was 11 years old. I will say that I made my living playing music from 1970 to 1988. I played six nights a week and toured basically the world.

As a drummer I got to play many styles including rock, funk, latin, jazz, and yes, even country. I even played in Vegas in a big show at the Sahara Hotel. Now that was fun!

One of the main reasons I am the producer I am today is because I watched people for many years behind the drums. I watched how they reacted and when they reacted to certain parts or moments in the music. People's reaction to music is the true barometer of how music should be created. If you pay attention to people while music is being performed you will learn quite a lot.

I also learned how to keep perfect time by playing in all the black clubs in the '70s. Believe me, if I played too fast or too slow, black dancers would let me have it! So I learned to play in time and stay in time.

I'd like to mention one name that I played with. He was also my mentor in the studio. His name is Johnny Hammond. He is gone now but the guy was the real deal and was a great teacher of the business and life. He was a hard-core SOB & But I loved that guy.

GBG: Who are some recent artists that you have worked with?

Dino: As I said I just worked with Kris Searle from London. I also just worked with Jimbo Ross. A great blues violist (yes, I said blues violist). He used a lot of the players from the American Idol Band. They were an interesting group (enough said). I worked with a lot of new players on the TV show I am doing and that was great fun. I have been getting a lot of calls from other TV producers and that is FINE WITH ME!!

GBG: What model Greg Bennett guitars are you using in some of your recordings and what do you like about them?

Dino: I did the "Chick Trips" theme song with the Avion Limited. I also used the LaSalle and the Royale in many songs for the show. I used the LaSalle in one of the Kris Searle songs that sounds incredible. Dig Lewis also played the Fairlane 5 string bass on almost the entire Kris Searle record. I love all three of my acoustics but the Carolina D14 cutaway is my fave. Love that tone. All of my Fender and Gibson guitar player dudes are struck by how good my Greg Bennetts sound and look. They totally love the acoustics. And these guys are hard-core Strat, Tele and Les Paul type guys & so there you go.

GBG: What can we expect from Dino Maddalone in the future?

Dino: Many more records to produce, but I really love the television and film work. There is so much more freedom in composing for those mediums. It is boundless and so friggin' creative. I am going to pimp myself like a Hollywood streetwalker for that type of work. My main love is still producing records, but the TV stuff is very very cool AND LOVE THOSE GREG BENNETT GUITARS!

You can visit Dino on the web at http://www.dinom4.com.