Phil Naro

Phil Naro (www.philnaro.com) is a Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award winning performer for singing the theme song for the cartoon “6Teen”, as well as an internationally acclaimed composer, singer, guitar player, songwriter and producer.  Naro’s career began in his hometown of Rochester, New York at the age of fifteen where he performed in a variety of popular High School bands.   Word of his amazingly powerful voice and his tremendous four octave range quickly spread to the bar bands where he pursued his musical career.  

In 1979, Naro had his first major musical opportunity to go to Toronto, Ontario, where he joined the popular band “Chain Reaction.” The band released two album’s, “X-Rated Dream 1” with Trillium Records label in 1981 and “X-Rated Dream 2” with Attic Records label in 1982 and also played an intense coast-to-coast tour schedule of 600 shows in two years. Following the release of “X-Rated Dream 2”, Naro returned to Western New York.

Naro is best known as the front-man for Billy Sheehan’s band, “Talas”.  In late 1980’s, while Naro immersed  his talents writing and recording songs with other musicians in Rochester and Buffalo, bass player, Billy Sheehan (www.billysheehan.com ) from Talas was in search of a lead singer for his band.  In late 1983 Billy found the voice of the band in Phil Naro. In 1984 after numerous performances, the band recorded “Live Speed on Ice" at L'Amour with Relativity Records in New York City which simultaneously made the top ten charts in both England and Japan.  While with Talas, Naro enjoyed great success on a unique American heavy metal tour, performing with many of the 80’s top attractions such as:  Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force; Anthrax; White Lion; Quiet Riot; and Iron Maiden.

Highlighting his career, after his time with Talas, Naro joined with Canadian AOR Coney Hatch, replacing James LaBrie who went on to sing with Dream Theater as the band’s new charismatic front man.
By now Naro was a much sought after lead vocalist and was discovered by respected producer Eddie Kramer who had worked with Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and KISS. This discovery resulted in Kramer recommending Naro to Peter Criss (www.petercriss.net ) former KISS drummer, who was preparing his solo career. At the helm of Criss’ solo project, two of Naro’s songs, “Bad People” and “Blue Moon over Brooklyn” appeared on Criss’ 1995 release, “Cat 1.” While he was creating music with Criss, Naro also wrote songs for Lee Aaron's 1989 multi-platinum selling album "Body Rock" and provided his powerful voice in studio work with Grammy winning producer Tom Lord-Alge, known for his work with Billy Joel, The Cure, Steve Winwood, Marilyn Manson and The Rolling Stones.

Naro also appeared on a compilation disc released through Liberty N' Justice Records entitled "Soundtrack Of A Soul" which featured ex-Skid Row member Sebastian Bach, Mark Slaughter, and Joe Cerisano of Trans Siberian Orchestra.  From “Soundtrack of A Soul,” Naro followed up by fronting a band from NYC and Kivel Records, “Tango Down” (www.myspace.com/tangodown).

In 1994, Phil teamed up with John Rogers (Brighton Rock, Long Tom and the Dusty Danglers) to form an acoustic duo dubbed as The Phil & John Show (www.thephilandjohnshow.com) to play the Ontario Club Circuit. They play both originals and covers of some of the most beloved songs of our time.  In 2006, they released “The Phil and John Show Cover Art” and are finishing up their follow-up release to be available in Spring of 2012.

 In 2004, Phil was asked by longtime friend Don Mancuso to collaborate with him and former Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm, (www.lougramm.com ) on the first of three DDrive albums which resulted in a release in 2005.  The album received critical acclaim and airplay in the US, Australia, and Europe. The band “DDrive’s” signature sound blends strong classic rock roots with a modern edge sound all its own. The first DDrive CD did so well that Mancuso and Naro decided to put together the band’s second release in 2007 entitled "Straight Up the Middle." The new album received accolades from a rapidly growing legion of DDrive fans, and is in its second pressing. Following the success of the release, the band shot and released a video in the summer '08 for the track “Pray for Tomorrow”.
In 2008, while performing with “Classic Albums Live”, Naro and other accomplished Toronto members from Classic Albums Live, with their love of progressive rock music, formed the band “Druckfarben” (www.druckfarben.ca).  They perform live and captivate audiences throughout the Ontario region of Canada.  In September 2011, they released their first CD “Druckfarben”. 

In June 2010, they released their album called “3D” on Melodic Revolution Records, which was the long awaited follow up to “Straight Up the Middle” (2007).  Suffice to say, it was worth the wait.  The album has been well received by both fans and media alike around the world. 3D is an album that will be enjoyed for generations to come. 3D has great significance as well, not only as DDRIVE's 3rd release but the CD is also housed in a special edition 3D cover with 3D Glasses and features eleven rocking tracks plus the album features some special guests like long-time friend Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, Talas, David Lee Roth) on the first single “Dig Down.”

Also in 2010, Naro produced Jim Crean's (www.metalworksband.com) CD "Velvet Crush" for Melodic Revolution Records (www.melodicrevolutionrecords.com), which was released in September 2011.

Naro collaborated with ifsounds, (www.ifsounds.com), a progressive rock art band from Italy, recording “Don’t Go” on their new digital only EP, “Unusual Roots” which was released on November 15, 2011.  Naro also took part in the filming/recording of ifsounds music video for the release “Don’t Go” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv5DgqLYdns)

Discography

• Chain Reaction X-Rated Dream 1 /TrilliumRecords 1981
• Chain Reaction X-Rated Dream 2 / Attic Records 1982
• Talas Live Speed On Ice / Relativity Records 1984
• Lee Aaron - Boby Rock/ Attic Records 1989
• Billy Sheehan The Talas Years / Relativity Records 1989
• The Works "From Out Of Nowhere" / A&M records 1989
• Toyz - Toyz - Amapro Records 1989
• Last Stand Q107Homegrown 1990
• Washington Wives M.E.A.T. RAW 1990
• Lee Aaron "Some Girls Do"/ Attic Records 1991
• Wall Of Silence "Shock To The System"/A&M Records 1992
• Cell Mates "Between Two Fires"/ Scotti Brothers 1992
• Ground Breaker Rock Vol. 1/Ground Breaker Records 1992
• Yam Cat Yam Cat / Yam Cat Records 1993
• Virginia Storey Virginia Storey / Phase 1 Production 1993
• Guitar Force Ground Breaker Compilation 1993
• Naro - Press Play -Interplanet Records 1994
• Naro "Thriftys 1" Access 1994
• Doctor Rock "Stark Raving Mad"/Outlaw Records 1994
• Phil Naro & David La Duke "Power Load Volume 3" 1994
• Peter Criss "Cat1"/Scotti Brothers Records 1994
• Daivd La Duke Foundations Forum 1995
• Phil Naro - Long Island Records 1995
• No Exit- Fatal Combat- The Movie No Exit 1995
• Blood Red Flower - Last Link To The World1997
• Ball One Ball One 1997
• The Pie Guys 5th Anniversary 1998
• Long Tom & the Dusty Danglers "Country Girl' 1998
• Phil Naro - Ten Year Tour Interplanet Records 1999
• Mark St John Project Self Tilted 1999
• 24K Crusade on Z Records 2000
• Long Tom & the Dusty Danglers - Country Cheese 2000
• Slav Simanic Water of Life 2000
• 24K - Pure 2000
• Ball One Strike Two 2000
• Going Back "About Vietnam" Movie Soundtrack 2001
• 24K - Bullet Proof - Z Records 2001
• Slav Simanic Let It Go 2002
• Phil Naro Glass Mountain Z Records 2002
• Brighton Rock A Room For Five Z Records 2002
• 24K Rock The Nations 2 Z Records 2002
• 24K Rock the Nations 3 Z Records 2002
• DDrive - Don Mancuso's DDrive GFI Records 2004
• Jim Crean & Phil Naro Tribute To Enuff Znuff CD Smash Records 2004
• Jim Crean Elegance Excess & Decadence 2004
• Beyblade Episodes Never Gonna Take You Down 2004
• Tango Down Take 1 Kivel Records 2005
• Kim Mitchell Christmas Smile Q107 2005
• 6Teen- Theme song from the smash teletoons show 2005
• The Phil & John Show Cover Art Phil Naro Music 2006
• Liberty n' Justice Soundtrack Of A Soul L&J Records 2006
• Ashley Were Were You Ashley Records 2006
• DDrive - Stright Up The Middle 2007   GFI Records
• Sarasin The Last Word - 2007 Self Released
• Sarasin A.D. Danger, Lust, Disgust - July 2008
• Daytime 2009 Emmy Award Vocalist for contributions to winning song "6Teen"
• DDrive - 3D - 2010 – Melodic Revolution Records 
• Songs For Haiti- Relief Through Music - March 2010 – Melodic Revolution Records
• Jim Doherty  ”This Memory” 
• 24k - Cracking The Vault November 2010 – Melodic Revolution Records
• The Rescue - Tragedies & Catastrophes - Melodic Revolution Records
• When Friends Come Out To Play - ST -  August 2011 – Melodic Revolution Records
• Druckfarben - Self Titled – Sept 2011- Self Released
• Jim Crean - Velvet Crush Oct 2011 - Melodic Revolution Records
• ifsounds - Unusal Roots - Nov 2011 - Melodic Revolution Records
• King Friday - Let the Song Begin- March 2013 - Melodic Revolution Records
  
• DDRIVE - Critical Mass - April 2013 - Melodic Revolution Records

For More Information:

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Current Projects:

• DDrive
• The Phil & John Show
• Druckfarben
• Jim Crean
• King Friday