Neil Giraldo has been Pat Benatar’s guitarist, keyboardist and co-writer for over 40 years, and her husband for almost that long. Together they achieved 15 Top 40 hit singles in the 1980s, including Top 10 gold singles “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and “Love Is a Battlefield.” In addition to Giraldo’s musical endeavors, including his work with Rick Derringer and Rick Springfield, he is also a co-founder and chairman of the board of Steel Bending Spirits featuring its Three Chord Bourbon beverage, with a mission to band together and help those in need.
GOLDMINE: At your 2015 concert, I enjoyed watching you play both guitar and piano.
NEIL GIRALDO: Thank you. I got my first guitar when I was six years old so that I could play duets with my sister, who played accordion, and together we could do Italian songs and entertain family and friends. For piano, I listen to jazz like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Huey Smith has a lot of energy. I love Bill Evans as a piano player and enjoy him with Miles Davis on his album Sketches of Spain.
GM: The first time I saw you perform was with Rick Derringer in 1978 as part of his Derringer band.
This story is from the October 2020 edition of GOLDMINE.
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This story is from the October 2020 edition of GOLDMINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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