Wikipedia

Bill Grisolia

Bill Grisolia is an American singer, songwriter, and piano player, as well a voting member of The Recording Academy. Grisolia has founded several bands throughout his musical career including the New Blues Revolution, a Long Beach-based band. Bill headlined the Key West Blues Festival in Florida and is a House of Blues artist having played at four of their venues, including three on their main stages.

Grisolia performing

Early life and family edit

William Grisolia was born in Kansas City, Kansas on November 30, 1957. His father, Santiago Grisolía, 1st Marquess of Grisolía,[1] and a native of Valencia, Spain, was a scientist[2] who was nominated for the Nobel Prize several times in both science and medicine. His mother, Frances Grisolia (Nee Thompson), met his father who was her professor whilst she was studying her Ph.D in biochemistry at the University of Madison in Wisconsin. They married in Madison and had two children.[3] Grisolia was born in Kansas City, Kansas and graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School.

Career edit

Grisolia went overseas for several months to study at the age of 18 in Valencia, Spain. While studying there, he met flutist Steve Richter and together they got their first paying performance act at a local nightclub called Tres Triste Tigres in the Barrio del Carmen. The duo performed at the Tres Triste Tigres two or three times as well as booking other venues around Valencia such as Pub Ghent. He returned to the United States and put together his first professional band in 1976, called ‘Ocean Wizard.’

After moving to Los Angeles, California in the fall of 1980 to pursue his Bachelor's degree in political science, Grisolia began to work as a musician in 1987. During this period,he formed a few music bands. With one of these bands, ‘300’, he had a breakthrough single “Video King”.[citation needed] During this time keyboard artist, John Thomas heard his music and later offered to help him mix the songs of his debut EP album “Blue Café.”[citation needed]

 
Grisolia with Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, and Hal David 1996

Grisolia's career as touring musician solidified through the 1990s with back to back touring acts in Southern California, mostly in Los Angeles. He eventually became a regular act at the House of Blues and performed over two dozen shows among four of their locations. He became a member of The Recording Academy in 1993. He produced several live concert series from the 1990s through the 2000s. Wish Upon a Song][4] was one such musical concert series, conceived and produced to benefit Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach, California. For the first installment of the series, he brought in singer Johnny Mathis, and for subsequent concerts had Dionne Warwick and Bert Bacharach headlining the concerts.[5]

Grisolia toured independently until 2009 as the “Bill Grisolia Band” and in 2010, until 2021, he teamed up with guitarist Chap Cooper to form the band, New Blues Revolution in Long Beach. Their collaboration spawned 2 EP albums and resulted in a number of performances throughout California and nationally.[6]

A review in Bman’s Blues Report[7] called The New Blues Revolution 2016 album ‘Hellendale and Back’ “diverse and interesting…with traces of Jim Morrison, Zack Wilde and Alice Cooper.”

The band played at venues around the greater Los Angeles area including House of Blues, Whiskey A-Go-Go and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.[8] They toured multiple times and headlined at blues and rock venues around the country including The Tin Roof (San Diego)], Blue Cat Blues (Dallas) and Knuckleheads (Kansas City).[citation needed] They booked gigs to play around Europe at the Black Note (Valencia, Spain), Cantina West (Helsinki, Finland), Rock Sta (Olu, Finland), and Bayerischer Hof Hotel (Munich, Germany).[citation needed] As New Blues Revolution, Grisolia has opened[9] for Macy Gray, Starship, Lee Rocker, Los Lobos, Leon Russell, Tab Benoit, Canned Heat, Rick Derringer, Katey Sagal and Three Dog Night.[10]

Grisolia also performed with noted musician and drummer Phillip E. Hardy when Hardy[11] was a part of Grisolia's band New Blues Revolution.

 
Grisolia performing at the House of Blues, Anaheim, CA, in 2023

In 2021, New Blues Revolution disbanded and since then Grisolia continues to perform as the "Bill Grisolia Band" nationally, and headlined the Key West Florida Blues Festival in 2021.[citation needed] He started the New Blues Festival and has produced eight festivals in three cities. The festival won the Best Music Festival in North America (charity category) at the 2019 Fest Forums.[12]

Grisolia founded the charity, the Long Beach Blues Society whose mission is to “educate the next generation about where blues came from” and “help artists from less well-off backgrounds achieve the greatness in the art of Blues they crave”. An article[13] in the Press Telegram described the Long Beach Blues Society as "uplifting" and "provided inspirational learning opportunities, concerts and engagements for youth, seniors, veterans and undeserved communities."

Personal life edit

Grisolia has been married to Rosalba Gonzalez-Grisolia since October 13, 2021, and is his second marriage. He was previously married to Yolanda Grisolía (nee Pagano) and they divorced in 2005. He has two children from his first marriage.[citation needed]

Awards edit

Grisolia was selected by Music Connection in the top 100 bands[14] in the USA for 2023 and again for the second year in a row for 2024.[15] He was a nominee for Group of the Year,[16] at LA Music Awards in 2012.

Grisolia was recently awarded two Living Legend awards by two separate organizations, Blues My Way and JazzZone Jazzabration, according to an article published by Programming Insider in December 2023.[17] He was also awarded Entertainer of the Year by Blues My Way, as mentioned in an article in Discover Hollywood.[18]

Discography edit

CD EPS Artist Year
Blue Cafe Bill Grisolia & the Attachments 1999
Live at the Black Note Bill Grisolia
Live at DiPiazza’s The Bill Grisolia Band
Revolution #9 New Blues Revolution 2013
To Hellendale & Back New Blues Revolution 2015
Cassettes
The Ultraviolet Catastrophe Bill Grisolia 1991
The Big House/Treat Me Like You Bill Grisolia 1992
Judgement Day/Too Much in Love Bill Grisolia & the Attachments 1993
Rosarita/Heart of America Bill Grisolia & the Attachments 1995
7" Singles
Video King/Heart of America 300 1987
Deja Voo Doo 300 1988

References edit

  1. ^ "El hijo de Grisolía, tras la capilla ardiente: "Era muy valenciano, venir al Palau por última vez tiene mucho sentido"". Europa Press. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  2. ^ "Three days of mourning declared after Valencian scientist Santiago Grisolía dies aged 99". Euro Weekly News. 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  3. ^ Atalayar (2022-08-05). "Don Santiago Grisolía, the humanist scientist". Atalayar. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  4. ^ "First ever Adelanto New Blues Festival to ring true for fans of Canned Heat and more". San Bernardino Sun. 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  5. ^ Heckman, Don (1996-11-11). "Warwick, Bacharach Are Still Fresh, Winning Combination". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  6. ^ Cristi, A. A. "New Blues Revolution Headline NAMM Concert Tonight At Hilton Anaheim". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  7. ^ Bman (April 6, 2016). "New Blues Revolution - Hellendale and Back - New release review". Bman's Blues Report. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  8. ^ "Tim McGraw, Alabama Shakes and more: This week's on-sales". Los Angeles Times. 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  9. ^ Timmons, Joseph (2019-12-20). "SPEND THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE AT THE CANYON MONTCLAIR WITH THE NEW BLUES REVOLUTION AND HEADLINING ACT, LOS LOBOS". IndiePulse Music Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  10. ^ Milano, Valerie (2023-10-07). "Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) | The Hollywood Times". Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  11. ^ "Phil Hardy Book, Singing for My Supper Musician, Promoter, Author". www.seecalifornia.com. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  12. ^ "New Blues Festival Wins at 2019 Fest Forums". Music Connection Magazine. 2018-11-20. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  13. ^ "For a Good Cause: Long Beach Blues Society helps community with music". Press Telegram. 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  14. ^ "HOT 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands". Music Connection Magazine. 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  15. ^ "Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists and Bands of 2023". Music Connection Magazine. 2023-11-30. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  16. ^ "New Blues Revolution". LA Music Awards. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  17. ^ Berman, Marc (2023-12-31). "Rock and Blues Legend Bill Grisolia Gives Back". Programming Insider. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  18. ^ "Discover Hollywood - BILL GRISOLIA PLAYS THE BLUES". www.discoverhollywood.com. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
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