Kara DioGuardi - "Ain't No Other Man" Tops the Charts

Ciao a tutti,

This weekend I had the pleasure of seeing, hearing and meeting one of Pop music's greatest stars and star makers. She is an Italian-American from Jersey, Kara DioGuardi, with an amazing story and personality, not to mention looks.

Get this, she is one of the industry’s most highly sought after songwriter/producer whose songs and album productions are continuously topping the charts and winning awards world-wide. Kara currently has a catalog of more than 500 songs; in 2004/2005 Kara had 106 of those songs released and 55 appeared on multi-platinum selling albums.

Ms. DioGuardi’s songs have been recorded by scores of major label artists and among Kara's recent and current songs is the Christina Aguilera hit "Aint No Other Man" off her current album "Back to Basics" on which Kara co-wrote half the songs. She has also co-wrote Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away” (a Top 15 song on the Hot 100 Billboard charts), as well as Clarkson’s next single “Gone.” Other current singles include “Beep” (a Top 15 song on the Hot 100 Billboard charts), co-written with Will.I.Am and "I don't Need a Man" for the Pussycat Dolls, Ashlee Simpson’s hits “L.O.V.E.” (a Top 10 airplay song) and “Boyfriend” ( a Top 20 Hot 100 Record); and Bo Bice’s eponymous song “The Real Thing.” Kara also co-wrote the first Santana single “I’m Feeling You,” featuring Michelle Branch, as well as the forthcoming single “Cry Baby Cry,” featuring Sean Paul and Joss Stone. Other recent songs include: "Good Day" by Jewel; "Escape" by Enrique Iglesias; "I Belong To You" by Anastacia; "Unpredictable; Not Me, Not I" by Delta Goodrem; "Shut Up" by Kelly Osbourne.

I cut my Holiday vacation short so I could get back in town to see the show and, as you can imagine, I wasn't surprised to find out the show was sold out. Thanks to Christine and the folks at Art House Entertainment, the management company that Kara and her business partner/manager Stephen Finfer started, they got me in and took pictures of me and everyone. Here is a picture of Kara and I backstage after the show.

The show started off with yet another accomplished singer/songwriter Maia Sharp. I was not familiar with her or her work, that is, until I learned of some of the songs that she had written like those sung by Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Edwin McCain, The Dixie Chicks, and Cher, to name a few artists.

Getting to hear an artist sing his or her own songs is always a treat and hearing Maia was exactly that as she sang songs from her latest CD "Eve and the Red Delicious," accompanying herself on guitar and with Darren Embry on Bass, who also played on the CD.

Here is a picture of Maia singing on stage and below is a picture of Maia, Darren and myself after the show.




Kara's show was conducted in the form of an interview with host and interviewer Melinda Newman who is of note in her own right as the West Coast Bureau Chief for Billboard Magazine and for having interviewed the world's biggest names in music.

Often quoted for her take on the state of the Industry, Melinda had her eye on the state of a young artist hard at
work, namely Kara, from many years back. She has watched Kara's career grow and therefore was the perfect interviewer for the evening.

Below is a picture of Melinda and I. Just talking to her for a few minutes was incredible because she knows so much about the Industry it is amazing, not to mention all the people she has met.


In between questions and answers Kara sang from her repertoire of hit songs sung by the many top artists she works with. And speaking of top artists, she sang her first song, "Taking Chances," with top recording artist, guitarist, composer and co-member of Kara's band Platinum Weird, Dave Stewart.

Below is Kara on stage singing with Dave as Melinda looks on. For most of the show, however, Kara was accompanied by Mitch Allan, a talented songwriter/producer and lead singer in his own right.

And speaking of talent, as I mentioned the place was sold out, but more importantly, it was filled with peers, Industry people. The talent and Industry power in that room that night was incredible. From managers of famous acts to record industry execs and BMI representatives etc., it was quite an event.

Below is a picture of Mitch Allan and I on stage after the show.

Kara closed out the evening with a rousing rendition of "Ain't No Other Man." Did I say "rousing rendition," is there any other kind of rendition possible?

She sang her heart out and the audience responded with a well deserved standing ovation. I was already standing because it was SRO!


After the show I got to talk a bit with Kara and I asked her if she new any Italian words and she said "#*&(!#$!*&%!"

She really is a Jersey Girl! Gotta loved it! I think she must know other Italian words too and I intend to find out when I get the chance to interview her for the Filippo and the Chef radio show hopefully soon. I'll keep you posted.

A presto,

Filippo

P.S. Here is a Youtube music video of Kara, Dave and Platinum Weird doing "Talking Chances."