Being young and maybe a lot scared, he graciously declined the offer and waited to fade into oblivion, despite his yearning to become a famous guitarist. By a strange quirk of fate (or maybe because someone was desperate) he received a call a few months later from John Scher’s office. John was a well known promoter in the NJ/NY metropolitan area. A band that John managed, named Stanky Brown (yes an odd name-BUT A GREAT BAND AND THEY WERE ON THE RADIO!) were in need of a lead guitarist and singer. Bobby auditioned,got the gig, and went immediately on the road opening for the #1 band of the moment,KANSAS. Bobby stayed with Stanky Brown, recording a single and an album. They toured constantly opening for The Allman Brothers,Outlaws,Boston,Beach Boys Steve Miller...you name it. After his stint with SB, he then joined the band STARZ, who were already a world famous band. He recorded the now infamous Coliseum Rock with them and continued to tour opening for RUSH, TED NUGENT,STYX and others. After STARZ breakup, Bobby settled into the session, scene playing on many records including BENNY MARDONES’ “INTO THE NIGHT”..
His musical resume’ included time with Tycoon,Ellen Foley and Suzanne Fellini.He then joined FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS who were just coming off two Top Ten singles. With the KO’s he played headlining shows and opened for Toto,The Beach Boys and many more. Bobby also continued his session work in New York recording with Clarence Clemmons and playing on many of the fledgling MTV jingles and drops including “THE BASEMENT TAPES” theme. In between all of this he took six months to do a European/UK tour with one of his heroes....STEVE WINWOOD. It was an amazing time for the young NJ guitarist. He met many famous musician’s including another hero...ERIC CLAPTON. Over the course of the next five years, Bobby played on dozens of records. Fiona, Joe Lynn Turner, Robey....even David Hasselhoff....he even ghosted on some records that will of course remain nameless. NYC was a great place to be a musician.In 1987, Bobby won the coveted spot on LOU GRAMM’S solo tour supporting his hit “MIDNIGHT BLUE”. He toured the States,Puerto Rico and Germany in the summer of ‘87 with Lou and band.
In 1989 Bobby released the self titled “MESSANO” CD on Relativity/Strategic/CBS Records.The CD garnered amazing reviews (Four KKKK’s in Kerrang) and lots of airplay and to this day it comes up in many Top 50 lists for ‘80’s AOR Classics. In 1990 while on a tour of Germany with Polygram artist ROBIN BECK, he made a decision that he wanted to put a band together doing Blues,Funk and Traditional Blues songs.In 1992 Bobby Messano & NBO was born. Through many personnel and personal changes,Bobby and his crew traveled hundreds of thousands of miles playing over 2500 shows between 1992 and 1999. In 1997 he recorded his second critically acclaimed solo CD...DOMINION ROADS. The CD was released on Ichiban/EMI Records, which went bankrupt shortly after it’s release. The collapse of the label left many excellent artists stranded. Between 1999 and 2002,Bobby searched for a label to re-release DOMINION ROADS and moved from Virginia Beach to Nashville. He also became one of the Blues Rock stars on the fledgling MP3.COM staying at # 1 for 6 months. In 2002, DOMINION ROADS found a new home with Fishhead Records in Cleveland. The renamed,remastered and repackaged DR came out as HOLDIN’ GROUND and garnered a First Round Grammy Nomination and rave reviews World Wide from Blues Radio and the Blues Press.
Bobby lived in Nashville for 9 years, with a short and not so sweet stint in Southwest Florida. He continued to write,produce and play and toured out of Nashville with MCA artist Alecia Elliot, and Number One charting artists Steve Holy, Rodney Atkins and Jimmy Wayne. Bobby also continued doing acoustic and electric dates both solo and with his band. In 2006 he co-Produced the new Shadows of Knight CD, “A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER” and went on the road supporting it on the “LITTLE STEVEN UNDERGROUND GARAGE BAND TOUR”. In 2007, for the first time in nearly 20 years, Bobby relocated to the NYC/NJ area after the passing of his father. 2008 was an exciting year with the re-release of his critically acclaimed 1989 tour de force Rock CD “MESSANO” . Succesful supporting shows in Las Vegas and The Rocklahoma Festival followed as well as some Headlining and co-headling (Fabulous T-Birds) shows and festivals. In 2008 Bobby also finished his follow up to “HOLDIN’ GROUND” , “TRIALS TRAUMAS TRIBULATIONS AND DEMOS” which contained new tracks, demos and songs that were written for TV and other artists, most unreleased. It was released in January 2009 on ITunes,Amazon MP3 and Rhapsody. Bobby spent 2009 on the road supporting TTT&D. 2010 began with Bobby signing to Wayne Brook’s Chicago based BLUES ISLAND organization, and his first LIVE CD, “LIVE IN MADISON” was released on March 12,2010.
Bobby
Messano is a journeyman musician. He has been around the block and lived to
talk about it. Messano has played guitar with and for Steve Winwood,Lou Gramm,
Clarence Clemmons, Peter Criss, Benny Mardones, Joe Lynn Turner, and Fiona.
He grew up listening to Clapton and Duane Allman. He has studied the masters
well. What sets Messano apart from the other Strat wielding Blues rock guys
are his passion, technique, and singing voice. The man can really sing!
This CD was recorded in Madison, WI at last years BamFest. Engineer and producer
Jack LeTourneau and Geoff Wilborn have done a fantastic job capturing Messano
in his true element, live on stage. This is not a contrived live album with
canned applause, this is the real deal. Edgy, gritty, sweaty, and loud! LeTourneau's
ability to capture this event as both a live concert and documentary of Bam
Fest should be applauded. Wilborn's keen ear and laid back production style
is evident in this' fine recording.
Stellar cuts include the opening Ramblin on my mind, Sea of hope, In the depths
of love, Crossroads,The way things used to be, an unbelievable rendition of
Little Wing, and the show ender Get up and Dance to the Blues. My personal
favorite is Messano's version of Can't find my way home by Blind Faith. It
is tender yet awe-inspiring.
Messano deserves much more attention form the legion of blues fans that live
and go to clubs in the Midwest. He is a true talent that needs to be a headliner.
This CD should help to break him out! LeTourneau and Wilborn deserve as much
credit for capturing and producing one of the best live albums 1 have heard
since REO Live and Get your Ya Ya's Out from the 1970's. Recording quality
live albums is a lost art. Hopefully Live in Madison will awaken engineers
and record companies to the fact that this art form needs to be revived.
Reviewed byAndy Ziehli
COURTESY OF BLINDMAN’S BLUES FORUMS
If you have not caught this guitarist/vocalist as of yet, do it!!! This guy
has played with Lou Gramm, Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood.
I thought I was impressed with Sean Kellerman who played at Darwins last week. But this guy just knocked my sox off. This was just blistering blues rock.
I am glad
Bobby started off with an acoustic set. Because even though that was hard-hitting,
nothing prepared me for the onslaught that followed. Wow!! Killer versions
of "Little Wing" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and of course
playing Cream's "Crossroads was just sent into hyperdrive. He works only
with a drummer and bassist. But that was a helluva an engine room. At times,
he would have a guest drummer come up and he was not less titantic.
This whole band was hot. I did not know how much my heart was going to take
because this guy just kills it. After the first set, I told him any guitarist
I would see after him would just suck. I was half serious and he was so humbled
by the remark. A down to earth person who deserves more recognition.
It is'nt often you see a player that can play with jaw-dropping intensity. I am just grateful Bobby would slow it down on occasion because listening to him, your heart would just about explode.
This is
not your daddy's blues. This is blues for the millenium. Bobby holds the torch.
Bluestones
