Michael Caruso | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Michael Anthony Caruso |
Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | May 23, 1954
Genres | Rock, alternative |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, performer |
Years active | 1974–present |
Website | MichaelCarusoMusic.com |
Michael Caruso is an American singer-songwriter, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 23, 1954. He studied both music and theatre at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan then later moved to the West Coast where he was employed as a songwriter for Homegrown Music, Geffen Music Group, Sony Music Publishing and Chrysalis Music. He performed as a solo artist and as Frontman for the band "Michael's Disciples".
Caruso's most well-known work "Love Is" [1] was co-written with Tonio K, John Keller; recorded by Vanessa L. Williams with Brian McKnight, and was featured on the Beverly Hills 90210 Soundtrack. It was nominated for a Grammy in the best of R & B vocal category and earned Michael a citation of achievement from BMI for garnering two million broadcast performances. It also rose to Number 1 on the Pop Music Chart and Adult Contemporary Chart in 1993. However, Caruso's career included collaborations with many other artists and writers: co-writes with Tamara Champlin and Dennis Matkosky for Chris LeDoux's "Runaway Love" (that appeared on Billboard's Country Music's Top 40) [2] and Rita Coolidge's Shoo Rah. [3] Caruso's most recorded song was "Guns of Love" (written with Randy Sharp [4] and John Keller) performed by Maura O'Connell, The Moffatts (who performed this on Good Morning America on July 3, 1995, donating proceeds from their release to the families of victims of the Oklahoma City bombing), Pam Rose for her Album " Morpheus", was featured on Grammy Award Winner Kathy Mattea's Album "Roses", [5] by Caruso on his 2011 EP "When The Devil Starts To Pray" and by Randy Sharp on his 2017 Release "Impossible Things".
On "You Won't Get To Heaven Alive" by Tamara Champlin, [6] Caruso was a background vocalist, player on several tracks, co-producer on two, and co-writes included the title track, "Purple Black and Blonde", "St Anne's Wheel" & "Tragic Black" that featured Nicky Hopkins [7] on piano. On Will Champlin's (Finalist for 2013 The Voice) solo projects, Caruso was a co-writer on many songs from "The Goldmine Sessions", his Self Titled "Will Champlin" CD, and his EP "Killing Me With Twilight". He collaborated on Bill Champlin's (formerly of Chicago) solo album "No Place Left To Fall"; [8] again penning the title track with Bill and Tamara Champlin and "Tuggin' on Your Sleeve" written with Bill Champlin and Will Champlin. Caruso also co-wrote with Joan Jett and Randy Cantor [9] a cut featuring Joan Jett & the Blackhearts for the Days of Thunder (soundtrack) entitled "Long Live The Night". Later, again as a songwriter, Caruso re-teamed with Tamara Champlin & Dennis Matkosky on a collaboration for Bekka Bramlett "What's on My Mind" that charted on Music Row. [10]
In Episode 7 of the 2011 Season of Single Ladies on VH1, Lori Michaels performed the Michael Caruso & Tamara Champlin's ballad, "Pretty When She Cries", that had previously been featured on her CD "Living My Life Out Loud" [11] released in 2008. Caruso, in 2009, was named to Music Connection Magazine's Top 100 unsigned artists list. [12]
Michael Caruso's [13] EP "When The Devil Starts To Pray" involved co-writers and musicians Randy Sharp; Trey Bruce, Roy Braverman, Tamara Champlin, Jeff Paris, [14] Glenn Goss, TJ McFarland, Dennis Matkosky; [15] Michael St.Thomas, and Moon Calhoun. From that release a song "For Tessa" dedicated to Caruso's daughter, inspired work with suicide prevention. [16] Also a film short, Sunshine Deprivation Blues [17] featured one of the EP's songs "Tell Me What You Will" (sharing vocals with Glenn Goss). Caruso released singles "True Love's Tears" (Caruso/Sharp) in 2014, "Good When You're Gone" (Caruso/Paris/Kravitz) in 2015 "What A Day" (Caruso/Rydell) in 2016, and "Another Mile" (Caruso/Sharp) in 2017. "Good When Your Gone" was also the theme song for the Rob Saul Show. [18]
Caruso and Glenn Goss were part of a Charity Tribute to the Beatles in 2017 @ Beit T'Shubah [19] in Los Angeles, Ca. that was hosted by Ruth McCartney, [20] Angie McCartney [21] and directed by Martin Nethercutt. [22]
Caruso's video of his cover of Sunny Afternoon was screened at the Arpa International Film Festival on August 2, 2019 [23] and had a second screening in 2020 at that festival as a co-writer with Eric Bazilian and Glenn Goss of "Only Love" by Manu Hvala. [24] In 2021, Caruso's video "Born With An Accordion", a Caruso/Goss collaboration, was again part of the Arpa International Film Festivaland was named audience favorite [25]
In addition to collaborations with artists such as Lita Ford, Terri Nunn, Vixen, and Michael LeCompt, [26] Caruso has also worked with the legendary Sammy Cahn, Eric Bazilian, Paul Williams, Dave Berg and Tom Keane.
Twenty 1 is the seventeenth studio album by the American band Chicago. Released on January 29, 1991, it was their first album of the 1990s. Twenty 1 spent eleven weeks on the American Billboard 200, peaking at position No. 66, and did not chart in the UK.
William Bradford Champlin is an American singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He formed the band Sons of Champlin in 1965, which still performs today, and was a member of the rock band Chicago from 1981 to 2009. He performed lead vocals on three of Chicago's biggest hits of the 1980s, 1984's "Hard Habit to Break" and 1988's "Look Away" and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love". During live shows, he sang the lower, baritone, vocal parts originally performed by founding guitarist Terry Kath, who had died in 1978. He has won multiple Grammy Awards for songwriting.
He Who Rides the Tiger is the 1980 second solo album by longtime Elton John lyricist, Bernie Taupin. It is his follow-up effort following his 1971 spoken word album Taupin. Taupin co-wrote all the songs in the album with the Buckinghams former guitarist Dennis Tufano and sang lead vocals in all of them. Although the album was recorded during a time when John and Taupin had interrupted their collaboration, John lent backing vocals on "Love ". The album was re-released on CD by American Beat Records on March 10, 2009.
The Sons of Champlin are an American rock band, from Marin County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, formed in 1965. They are fronted by vocalist-keyboardist-guitarist Bill Champlin, who later joined rock band Chicago, from 1981 to 2009, placing Sons of Champlin on hiatus from 1981 to 1996. They brought to the late ‘60s music scene in the Bay Area a soulful sound built around a horn section, sophisticated arrangements, philosophical themes, Bill Champlin's songwriting and blue-eyed soul singing, and Terry Haggerty's jazz-based guitar. They are one of the enduring 1960s San Francisco bands, along with Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and Moby Grape.
Chemistry is the second solo album by singer Johnny Gill. It was released on April 22, 1985.
Right About Now is an album, released in 2007, by country music artist Ty Herndon. His first major studio album since Steam in 1999, it features the singles "Mighty Mighty Love", previously recorded by Lila McCann on her album Complete, and the title track, previously recorded by Michael Peterson on his 2004 album Modern Man. Also included is a cover of "You Still Own Me", which was originally recorded by Canadian acts Johnny Reid and Emerson Drive, both of whom released the song as singles.
All by Myself is the debut album by American singer–songwriter Regina Belle. Released on June 1, 1987 by Columbia Records, the album features the hit singles "Show Me the Way", "So Many Tears", "How Could You Do It to Me", "Please Be Mine" and "You Got the Love".
Friends for Life is a 1987 album by Debby Boone.
Cheap Seats is the fifteenth studio album by the American country music band Alabama, released in 1993 by RCA Records. It produced the singles "Reckless", "T.L.C. A.S.A.P." and the title track. Of these, "Reckless" was the band's final Number One hit on the Billboard country charts until 2011's "Old Alabama", and "The Cheap Seats" was the band's first single in fourteen years to miss Top Ten of the charts. Alabama produced the album along with Josh Leo and Larry Michael Lee, except for "Angels Among Us", which bassist Teddy Gentry produced.
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To is the nineteenth studio album by American country music artist Kenny Rogers, released in 1986 through RCA Records. The album hit the top 20 on the country charts with the single "Twenty Years Ago" peaked at number two.
Unconditional Love is the forty-seventh album by American singer/guitarist Glen Campbell, released in 1991. The title track "Unconditional Love" was the first single, reaching No. 27 on the Hot Country Singles chart, while "Living in a House Full of Love" was the second single. The album itself did not chart in the US, but did chart briefly in New Zealand reaching No. 48.
Workin' It Back is a studio album by the American R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, released in 1985. It was his second record for Asylum Records. The album didn't do nearly as well on the Billboard 200 as his last record, peaking at #96. It did reach US R&B #6, only two spots lower than his previous album. The album spawned two singles, "Love 4/2" and "Let Me Be Closer", though none made the Billboard Hot 100. The album has been certified gold.
Not Me is the second full-length album by American singer Glenn Medeiros. It was released in September 1988 one year after the release of Medeiros' self-titled debut album.
Fragile is the debut studio album by American singer Cherrelle. It was released on April 8, 1984 by Tabu Records and was the first of four records for the label.
Runaway is an album by Bill Champlin, released on Elektra Records in 1981. It is notable as containing "Tonight Tonight", Champlin's minor hit as a solo artist, as well as "Sara", which also achieved a degree of chart success.
Tamara Champlin is an American singer-songwriter who started her career as a session singer in Houston, Texas, later moving to Los Angeles. She has performed with and written for singers such as Elton John, Leon Russell, Nicky Hopkins, Steve Lukather, Andreas Carlsson, husband Bill Champlin, and son Will Champlin.
William Christopher Champlin is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his appearance on Season 5 of the NBC singing competition The Voice as part of Adam Levine's team. He finished in third place behind Jacquie Lee, the runner-up, and Tessanne Chin, the winner of the season.
Twice the Love is a 1988 studio album by American guitarist and singer George Benson that was recorded with six production teams. The two main singles off the record were the title track "Twice the Love" and the Curtis Mayfield song "Let's Do It Again" which was a No. 1 hit for The Staple Singers in 1975.
"You're Gonna Be (Always Loved by Me)" is a song written by Danny Orton and Dennis Matkosky, and recorded by American country music artist Reba McEntire. It was released in August 2005 as the first single from Reba's compilation album Reba #1's.
Heart's Horizon is a studio album by American singer and musician Al Jarreau. It was released in 1988 through Reprise Records. It reached No. 75 on the Billboard 200.