Denny Diante

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Denny Diante is a music biz multi-threat. DENNY DIANTE PROFESSIONAL CHRONOLOGY 1965-1968 Little Darlin’ Music Co.- Production/Publishing Co.Creative Director Holiday Records- Independent record co.Artist and Label Manager 1968-1972 Peer/Southern Organization West Coast Director 1972-1978 United Artists Records Vice President Pop A&R/ Producer 1978- 1980 RCA/Windsong Records Vice President A&R/ Producer 1980-1981 CBS Songs Vice President and Creative Director/ Producer 1981-1989 CBS/Columbia Records Vice President A&R/ Producer 1989-1996 MCA Records Vice President A&R/ Producer 1996-1999 Outwest Entertainment Inc., a Record and Film Production Co.President and co-founder 1999- Pipeline Music Inc. President and co-founder 2007- DD Productions Inc. The Original Holiday Records 2008- Partners In Rhyme LLC (co-founder) INTRODUCING DENNY DIANTE Initially breaking into the music business with surf bands in the 60’s (The Sentinels and The Cornels) and as a solo artist on Holiday Records, Denny Diante developed his production skills at Goldstar Recording Studios in Los Angeles. In 1968, he then became West Coast Director of Peer-Southern Music, one of the largest music publishing companies in the world. In l972, Denny was recruited by Mike Stewart, the President of United Artists Records to join their A&R Department and produce their biggest artists. He produced a string of hits by Paul Anka, Ike and Tina Turner, the Grateful Dead and produced the Bob Weir group Kingfish. After a successful run at UA, he then joined RCA/Windsong Records ( the John Denver /Jerry Weintraub owned label) where he was VP of A&R and produced such artists as Maxine Nightingale, Starland Vocal Band and Kocky. In 1980, Mr. Stewart once again reached out to Denny with the opportunity to join him as VP at CBS Songs. After helping Mike successfully change April/Blackwood Music(CBS Music Publishing division) into CBS Songs, Denny was promoted to Vice President of A&R of Columbia Records Division, where he went on to produce such legendary artists as Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Johnny Mathis, Bill Withers, Deneice Williams, Julio Iglesias….the list goes on. In l989, Denny moved to MCA Records as Vice President of A&R and Executive Producer where he achieved numerous successes as the only staff executive and producer. While at MCA, he produced and worked with such artists as B.B.King, Glenn Frey, Boston, Sheena Easton ,Bobby Brown and brought to the label Comptown Records with co-founder EasyE of NWA. After leaving MCA and the corporate environs, in l997 he co-founded Outwest Entertainment, a record and film production company focusing on country music and releasing historical recordings. In 1999 he started Pipeline Music Inc., controlling the largest classical music archive in the world. In 2005, Denny decided to renew his first love of studio work and has begun producing again many new and established artists. He has now started DD Productions, Inc and his own label The Original Holiday Records. Denny is also the Music Executive Consultant to Peter Hoffman’s Seven Arts Pictures. He is well-known and respected throughout the recording industry. During his career, Mr. Diante has produced such distinguished artists as Barbra Streisand, B.B. King, Elton John, Grateful Dead, Bobby Brown, Neil Diamond, Boston, Johnny Mathis, T.G. Sheppard, Sheena Easton, Paul Anka, and Ike & Tina Turner, to mention only a few. In addition, he has amassed many production credits in television and film. Overall, he has produced 22 Gold Albums and 8 Multi-Platinum Albums, has received 3 Grammy’s, a Cable Ace Award, an Academy Award nomination, and a Golden Globe Award, ASCAP and BMI awards, Ampex Awards, and numerous awards for production and arranging in such festivals as the Japan Music Awards, the Festival of Music of France and received the prestigious award from the Russian Federation as an Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Music Denny Diante is listed in Billboards Magazine’s Encyclopedia of 100 Most Successful Record Producers. Denny Diante has written the forwards in both editions of Richard Schulenberg’s ‘Legal Aspects of the Music Industry’. Published by Billboard Books. Denny Diante has taught the class Record Production and the Music Industry at U.C.L.A. Denny Diante is listed as one of the Top Producers behind the music, in ‘The Musician’s Handbook (A Practical Guide to Understanding the Music Industry)” by Bobby Borg. Denny Diante has been elected to The Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Denny Diante is mentioned in the book ‘Burt Bacharach - A Selected Discography’ Denny Diante is quoted in the Burt Bacharach book “Song by Song” Denny Diante is mentioned in the book “The Eagles- Hotel California” Denny Diante is quoted in the book “Solitary Star” Neil Diamond Authorized Biography Denny Diante is acknowledged in the book, “How to Have Your Hit Song Published” by Jay Warner, Published by HLB Publications. Denny Diante is mentioned in the book “Mr. Tambourine Man” The Life and Legend of the Byrds Gene Clark by John Einarson PRODUCER DISCOGRAPHY Barbra Streisand (Columbia) – ‘Til I Loved You ‘(Platinum) Barbra Streisand (Columbia) - ‘The Broadway Album’ (Triple Platinum) (Grammy) B.B. King (MCA) – ‘Blues Summit’ (Gold) (Grammy) duets with: John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, Etta James, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Ruth Brown, Joe Louis Walker, Irma Thomas, Katie Webster and Lowell Fulsom. B.B.King (MCA)- ‘How Blue Can You Get’ Classic Live Recordings 1964-1994 Neil Diamond (Columbia) – ‘Primitive’ (Gold) featuring “Turn Around” #4 Tina Turner (United Artists) – ‘Acid Queen’ (Gold) Ike and Tina Turner (United Artists) – “Baby Get It On” #40 Ike and Tina Turner (United Artists) – ‘Best Of ‘(Gold) Ike and Tina Turner (EMI) - ‘Proud Mary and the Best of Ike and Tina Turner’ Bill Withers (Columbia) -‘Watching You, Watching Me’featuring “Oh Yeah” #40 Bill Withers (Columbia) - ‘Lean On Me- the Best Of” (Gold) Bill Withers (Columbia) - ‘Lean On Me, The Legacy Years’ Bobby Brown w/ Glenn Medeiros- “She Ain’t Worth It” (#1 Gold) Bobby Brown (UMC) ‘The Definitive Bobby Brown Collection’ Elvis Presley (Outwest) – ‘Elvis Raw’ First Live Recording (Historical) Elvis PresleyBand (United Artists) w/ James Burton, Ron Tutt, Jerry Scheff. Maxine Nightingale (United Artists) ‘Right Back Where We Started From’ #2 (Grammy) (Gold) Maxine Nightingale (United Artists)- ’Nightlife’ single “Love Hit Me” #5 UK Japan Music Award for production and arrangement. Maxine Nightingale (RCA/Windsong –“Lead Me On“ (#1 Gold) Maxine Nightingale (RCA) – ‘Bittersweet’ Grateful Dead (United Artists) - ‘Blues For Allah’ (Gold) Kingfish (Rounder/United Artists) w/BobWeir and DaveTorbert. Elton John (MCA) Re-mix-“The One” (#1 single) (Gold) T.G. Sheppard (Outwest / MSH) – ‘Nothin’On ButThe Radio’ T.G. Sheppard ( PIR) - “Partners” duets with: Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, Lorrie Morgan, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ricky Skaggs and theWhites,Conway Twitty, Crystal Gayle, Kelly Lang, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Ray Stevens, Engelbert Humperdinck, Mickey Gilley, B.J. Thomas, Jimmy Fortune of The Statler Bros, Delbert McClinton, Steve Cropper, Juice Newton, Janie Fricke, Wayne Jackson with the Memphis Horns, and T.Graham Brown. Jodeci (MCA) – Re-mix “Stay” (#1 single) Deniece Williams(Columbia)–“Love Won’t Let Me Wait”(Duet w/Johnny Mathis)#14 Glenn Medeiros(Amherst)–‘Not Me’(Gold)”Nothin’s Gonna Change My Love” #4 Glenn Medeiros (MCA) –‘Glenn Medeiros ‘(Gold )( #1 single) Sheena Easton (MCA) - ‘What Comes Naturally‘ # 20 R&B Sheena Easton (MCA) - ‘My Cherie‘ Sheena Easton (MCA) - ‘Freedom‘ Sheena Easton (Universal Intl.) - ‘Best Ballads‘ Roseanne Cash (Columbia) Re-mix- “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me” (Grammy) (#1 single) Johnny Mathis (Columbia) –‘A Special Part of Me ‘featuring the hit singles ”Simple”#6 and “Love Won’t Let Me Wait” #14 Johnny Mathis (Columbia) –“Right From the Heart” #38 Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ‘Live’ From London Victoria Hall Featuring: “Chances Are”,” Misty”,” Twelfth of Never”,” 99 Miles from L.A.” Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis- featuring the hit, “It’s Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas” Number 10 biggest selling Christmas song in history Johnny Mathis and Henry Mancini- ‘The Hollywood Musicals’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ’That’s What Friends Are For ‘ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ‘Love Songs’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ‘The Music of Johnny Mathis; A Personal Collection’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ‘Christmas Is’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ‘The Christmas Music of Johnny Mathis’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) - ‘The Ultimate Hits Collection: 18 Classics’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) -‘The Essential Johnny Mathis’ Johnny Mathis (Columbia) – ‘A 50th Gold Anniversary Collection’ (Gold) Angela Bofil (Arista) – ‘Teaser’ (Gold) Bobby Goldsboro(United Artists)-“A Butterfly For Bucky””A Butterfly for Bucky”#7 “And Then there Was Gina”..#15…”I Wrote A Song”(sing along)…#16 Z.Z. Hill (United Artists) - “Keep On Lovin’ You” w/Allen Toussaint Sylvie Vartan (RCA) - ‘I Don’t Want The Night To End’(Gold) France Music Award The Jets (MCA) - ‘Best of the Jets’ (Gold) Merilee Rush (United Artists) - ‘Save Me’ / “Angel of the Morning” #49 The Stabilizers (Columbia) - ‘Tyranny’ featuring “One Simple Thing” The Ventures (United Artists) – ‘Rocky Road’ featuring “Moonlight Serenade” The Dillards (United Artists) - “A Stones Throw Away” Paul Anka (United Artists) – ‘Anka’ featuring the #1 hit “Having My Baby” and #5 hit “ One Man Woman” Both with Odia Coates. (Dbl. Gold) Paul Anka (United Artists) -‘Times of your Life’ featuring the hits: “The Times of Your Life” #1 and “Anytime” (I’ll Be There) #2 (Gold) Paul Anka (United Artists) – ‘The Painter’(Gold)featuring…”Happier” #10 Paul Anka (Columbia) – ‘Walk A Fine Line” – “Hold Me ‘Til The Morning Comes” #1 single w/ Peter Cetera. Songs featuring Michael McDonald,Kenny Loggins and Karla DeVito (Gold)…”Second Chance”…#14 Paul Anka (Columbia) - ‘Paul Anka Live‘ Odia Coates with Paul Anka (Epic) – “Make It Up To Me In Love” #20 Paul Anka (Polydor) - ‘Face In The Mirror’ Paul Anka (United Artists) –‘The Best of the United Artists Years’ ’73-‘77 Michel Colombier (Chrysalis) - ‘Chrysalis’ featuring: Herbie Hancock, Larry Carlton, Jaco Pastorius, Tom Scott, Lee Ritenour, Michael Brecker, Steve Gadd, Peter Erskine, Ray Parker Jr., Airto Moreia and The London Symphony Orchestra Michel Colombier (Columbia) - ‘Old Fool Back On Earth’ featuring: Ernie Watts, Patti Austin, James Ingram, Alex Ligertwood and Phil Perry. Jaco Pastorius (WB) - ‘Punk Jazz’ The Jaco Pastorius Anthology. Jaco Patorius (Legacy Recordings) The Essential Jaco Pastorius The Stylistics (MCA) - “Me Minus You = Blue” #35 The Stylistics (Amherst) - ‘Love Talk’ Boys Club (MCA) - “This Could Take All Night” from the motion picture ‘Switch’ Joe Pasquale (MCA) – ‘Prey’ Joe Pasquale (MCA) - ‘Lover’s Moon ‘ Ted Neely (United Artists) – “Sunrise” Lea Roberts (United Artists) – ‘Lady Lea‘ Featuring “Laughter In the Rain” and “All Right Now” w/Chicago Vernon Burch (United Artists) – ‘I’ll Be Your Sunshine‘ Julia Migenes-Johnson/duet with Paul Anka (Columbia)- ‘ “No Way Out” main title from the motion picture ‘ No Way Out’ Jack Wagner (BFE/BMG) - ‘Alone In A Crowd’ John Bayless (Angel/Capitol) – ‘The Movie Album: Classical Pictures’ Corniche (RCA/Windsong)-“Theme from CHIPS”: from the television series’CHIPS’ Jerry Cole and The Chasers (Holiday Records) - ‘Back To The Boards’ Nan Mancini and JDB (RCA/Windsong) - ‘It’s A Man’s World‘ Walk The Moon (MCA) - ‘Walk The Moon’ Eartha Kitt (Spark)-‘Sentimental Eartha”.“Catch theWind”and Hurdy Gurdy Man” Keith Michel (Spark) –“I’ll Give You The Earth” Six Wives of HenryVIII.(TV series) Andra Willis (Paramount) - “Knock, Knock Who’s There? “ (#40 Easy Listening) Rainbow (Stereo Dimension) - “Open Up Your Heart” and “Hello, Hello” Misti Pierson (Outwest) - ‘Misti’ American Flyer (United Artists) - ‘Spirit of A Woman’( “I’m Blowin’ Away” with American Flyer, Linda Ronstadt and J.D.Souther) Liza Minelli(UA)New York, New York” from the UA picture “New York, New York” Hidden Strength (UA/Soul Brother Records UK) “I Don’t Want to be A Lone Ranger” Steve Kirwan (TKC Records/Holiday Records) ‘Steppin’‘Round theYellow Brick Road’ THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS: George Gershwin (MCA)’George and Ira Gershwin’ A Musical Celebration ‘ (Various Artists) Harold Arlen (DRG) -‘Over The Rainbow: The Music of Harold Arlen’(Various Artists) Jerome Kern (LML) ‘Life Upon The Wicked Stage’ (Various Artists) Stephen Sondheim (Varese Sarabande) – ‘A Celebration’ (Various Artists) ABC (Varese Sarabande) - ‘A Tribute to Adler, Bock and Coleman’ (Various Artists) ADDITIONAL CREDITS: Producer/Co-producer and Vice President of A&R for United Artists Records, RCA/Windsong Records, Columbia Records and MCA Records. Glenn Frey (MCA) - ‘Strange Weather’ (Gold) Jimmy Buffet (MCA) - ‘Feeding Frenzy’ (Platinum) Boston (MCA) - ‘Walk On ‘(Platinum) Julio Iglesias (Columbia) - ‘1100 Bel Air Place’ (Platinum) War (United Artists) - “Low Rider” (Gold) War (United Artists) - ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends’ (Gold) ELO (United Artists) - ‘A New World Record’ (Platinum) Al Green (MCA) - ‘Your Heart’s in Good Hands’ Brass Construction (United Artists) - ‘Brass Construction’ (Platinum) Brass Construction (United Artists) - ‘Brass Construction II ‘(Gold) Traffic (United Artists) - ' Heavy Traffic ' (Gold) FILM AND TELEVISION New York, New York United Artists Pictures No Way Out Orion Pictures Against All Odds Columbia Pictures If Looks Could Kill Warner Bros. Pictures Home Alone II 20th Century Pictures Karate Kid II Columbia Pictures Walls of Fire (Documentary) Golden Globe Winner/Academy Award Nomination Switch Warner Bros. Pictures Report to The Commissioner United Artists Pictures Theme from “CHIPS” MGM Television Series To Die For VJ Entertainment The Blues Summit: B.B.King Arts and Entertainment Channel Winner: 1996 Cable Ace Award. Best Musical Partners In Rhyme: Bronze Winner 2008 Telly Awards. Best Musical Documentary American Rhapsody Paramount Classics/7 Arts Pictures Liquid Space (A surf Odyssey) Lighthouse Productions/A Dale Davis Film Deal Seven Arts Pictures /MGM Noise Seven Arts Pictures/ Think Films The Pool Boys Seven Arts Pictures/MGM As a producer, arranger, engineer, and musical contractor, he has worked with Paul Anka, Elton John, B.B. King, Bill Withers, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Neil Diamond, and Henry Mancini, among many others. Born in New Kensington, PA, on June 21, 1943, Diante was a singer/drummer in surf bands before switching to the music publishing field. The experience honed his skills at hearing a good song. Around 1972, Diante became the vice president of A&R and a staff producer with United Artists Records. Some of the highlights of his stint were producing several gold records, working with the group War, and producing Paul Anka's gold single "One Man Woman, One Woman Man" (number seven pop, 1974). UA president Al Teller tapped Diante's services when he became president of RCA Records. In the early '80s, former UA president Mike Stewart made Diante vice president and creative director of CBS Songs. In 1981, Diante was hired as vice president of A&R at Columbia Records. Teller as president of MCA Records hired Diante as vice president of A&R for the label. Diante started his own OutWest label in 1996. Also on Diante's resume are Maxine Nightingale's two gold singles, "Right Back Where We Started From" (number two pop for two weeks in spring 1976) and "Lead Me On" (number five pop in spring 1979), and Johnny Mathis and Denise Williams' cover of Major Harris' 1975 gold hit, "Love Won't Let Me Wait." Denny Diante-related CDs are Lean on Me: The Best of Bill Withers; The Ultimate Hits Collection, Better Together: Duet, Hollywood Musicals, Love Songs, Heavenly/Greatest Hits/Live,and the multi-LP CD That's What Friends Are For/You Light Up My Life/Better Together: Duet by Johnny Mathis; Proud Mary: The Best of Ike & Tina Turner; Blues Summit and How Blue Can You Get: Classic Live 1964-94 by B.B.King; Till I Loved You by Barbra Streisand;The Movie Album: Classical Pictures by John Bayless; The World of Sheena Easton: The Singles Collection; George and Ira Gershwin in Hollywood by George Gershwin; The Best of the Jets; The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection; Apla Tribute to Gershwin; Johnny Mathis Live; Best of the United Artists Years (1973-1977) by Paul Anka; Primitive by Neil Diamond; What Comes Naturally by Sheena Easton; Raw Elvis (Live at the Eagles Hall in Houston); and Swing Alive! and Nothin on but the Radio by T.G. Sheppard. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide