Today we’d like to introduce you to Mario Monterosso.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Sicily, Italy, in a city named Catania. Late 70s, early 80s there was a big rock’n’roll & rockabilly revival. The Stray Cats, the most popular rockabilly band at that time, were very famous all over Europe. Also, the TV shows Happy Days, movies like Grease, American Graffiti and even The Blues Brothers have contributed to spread that American Music Culture world wide, including Italy. There was a huge rockabilly scenario in my hometown and my older sister had a rockabilly boyfriend who became a sort of model to me especially after my father died when I was still 10, in 1982. First time that my sister took me out with her and some of her friends I found myself with a group of people dressing, acting and listening to the music that till then I had seen only in the movies. “This is real”, I thought. Also some of those people were musicians and they played rock’n’roll. This is how I got into the music genre that really changed my life. First music tape I ever had in my hands was about a British Radio Show called “Radio Memphis” with Memphis rock’n’roll only. Mostly Elvis, of course, but also Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee lewis, Johnny Cash, Billy Lee Riley, Warren Smith. All stuff coming from Sun Records here in Memphis. That was my very first music imprinting so, very naturally, I started to play the guitar learning that kind of music. When I was 16 I got hired in a rockabilly band named “The Rhino Rockers”. Over the years, because of my curiosity, I got to explore other kinds of music, mainly related to Memphis. Lot of blues, soul music, even some country music, and I studied more seriously when I was in my late 20s. My dad was a lawyer and a professor, my mother was a school headmaster and both of my sisters are teachers. Therefore growing up in that environment I had to find the right compromise not to disappoint my family’s expectations in consideration that being a rock’n’roll guitarist was not considered something that serious. So I ended up to work as a Court Clerk, 2 years in my hometown and 14 years in Rome. Actually I’ve decided to move to Rome more likely because there was a bigger music scene over there and way more professional. Working at the Court helped me with the expenses of course, and mainly not to be hindered by the family. This for the most part of my 30s. So, split in 2, musician in the night, Court Clerk in the morning. Clark Kent-Superman, Bruce Wayne-Batman, Peter Parker-Spiderman. Somehow I kinda liked leading that double life. However it arrives the day in which you get to take a look at your face in the mirror and you start asking yourself who you really are. I like to say that life has more fantasy than we have on creating the right time for things to happen. Matter of fact that because of some lucky circumstances the “avant-garde artist performer” Tav Falco wanted to record an album in Rome and he was searching for a guitarist. He got my name so he got in touch with me. This happened in May 2014. We met, we talked, he hired me as his guitarist and I ended up to produce that album and other 5 after that, including the new upcoming one in September. He took me on tour in Europe in spring 2015 and then the American tour in October 2015, 22 Cities including Memphis, Tennessee. In the moment I set my foot in Memphis for the first time I felt something special. Matter of fact when I got back to Rome I resigned from my job at the Court, I sold my house in Rome, I went down to Sicily to give the news to my family. My mother gave her blessing and so I moved to Memphis in July 2016. I always like to say that my family gave me the roots, solid roots, and rock’n’roll gave me the wings.
I did 2 semesters at the University of Memphis just to experience what I had watched in the American movies. You could see this Italian 43 years old (2016) walk around the UM in a mix of Ron Howard in Happy Days blended with the Fonzie as well as John Travolta in Grease. I know it might sound weird but for me it was something beyond. I needed that kind of experience. When you move to a different Country somehow is like to be born again, with a new profile. So even experiencing the school for a few months only, it has contributed to build my American profile, like a Memphis born…like a Memphian.
Music is not only a matter of notes, music is a form of art, maybe the most direct form of art, and as a form of art, it’s the mirror of a society, with its cultural habits, food, colors, nuances, positive and negative things. Actually I decided to move here not to learn how to play guitar licks, maybe I have studied too much that stuff. Instead, I wanted to experience America and Americans in the way that you can learn only if you live permanently in a place. So I came not to study rock’n’roll music rules or blues guitar licks, but what really there’s behind that music, the culture, the people.
I have to say that everything went beyond my expectations. I played with many Memphis artists in town, famous and not. Tav Falco, of course, also John Paul Keith, Amy Lavere and Will Sexton, Jason D Williams, Dale Watson and so many others. I recorded at the historic Sun Studio many times, I’ve performed at The Grand Ol’ Opry and all over the United States.
I had the pleasure to perform for Priscilla Presley in July 2022 at the Theatre Memphis at the presence of the Mayor and other Government Dignitaries. I received a Certificate of Recognition fro the Memphis City Council in 2022 for the outstanding contribution to the Community. I produced a music video project “Simple Song of Freedom” to support Ukraine and the Countries caught by the war. A project that involved more than 50 artists including lot of Memphis greats, like Carla Thomas, Kallen Esperian, Reverend Charles Hodges, Larry Dodson, Gary Beard, Reverend Keith Norman, a Gospel choir of the First Baptist Church Broad, a choir of children students from Stax. Everything recorded by Scott Bomar at the legendary Sam Phillips Recording Service. The project has received the official recognition of The City of Memphis.
Also, to close this wonderful journey of music and life, I got married with a Memphis girl, a real Memphian. Kristin Nicole Linagen and me got married in January 2024.
I could not asked for anything more!!!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As mentioned before, when you move to a different Country there are so many things to challenge. Getting used to a different way of living, of thinking, of managing the relationships, actually creating new relationships. When you’re adult everything can be more difficult, in general, even the linguistic problems. Language is the way we express ourselves, our emotions, our cultural level. Even the daily life things can become a problem, like going to the mechanic for the first time, going to the doctor, or sitting at a table with 10 people who talk to each other and you understand maybe the 20%. Being understood is something that cannot be taken for granted either.
This can be very awkward and can represent a huge limit in the social and professional life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
So, now it’s been almost a decade since I’ve been being a musician full time. Opening your eyes in the morning and face a new day is already something that stimulates your creativity. Everyday is a blessing and at the same time is a mystery, full of things that impact your soul, your mood and everything you do.
I play the guitar, I sing as well. I like to write songs. Every new day is a white paper in a notebook, You write on it, like when you write a new song, new lyrics, a new composition. That’s really fascinating to see how things come together, things that initially are simply ideas, or your thoughts, and then become something more complex, involving other people, other souls, other minds.
Nowadays the term “producer” includes a a variety of competencies, musical, technical, psychological too. I’m not like that, especially for the technical parts. When I produce an album or a song I like to see myself more like an architect who gets into an empty house and starts to have visions about how that house can become. Based on his visions the architect will call the engineer, the plumber, the painter and so on till the work is completed. That’s really what I like, sharing my vision, my emotions and work with others benefiting of each one’s skills to get the work done.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
You plant good seeds, take care of them and you’ll get good plants, trees, flowers, fruits.
A good interaction with people is what I love the most.
You create the band outside of the stage… You have good time together as human being, respecting each other and you’ll get the best results on stage. Sadly, sometimes I see musicians that barely say hello to each other when they get on stage.
I try to connect with people. Sometimes it’s easy, some other times not. We’ve been living in a fast world when there’s no time to connect. I don’t like that.
Also, first you create the product, a good product, impeccable, then you can sell it and ask for the money you want. Not the opposite.
I still love the idea of creating a band, rehearsing, creating something special, being prepared and then ask for gigs.
So rare nowadays. People are so afraid to get committed to something and invest only into that something.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mariomonterosso.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marioredmount
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marioredmount
- Twitter: @MarioMonterosso
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarioMonterosso
