Famous Aria Players
We are very fortunate to have so many talented players currently using Aria instruments.
Steve Stevens - Billy Idol, Solo Artist
Guitarist Steve Stevens is truly a legend! Best known for his innovative guitar work with Billy Idol, Steve has also released solo recordings and guested on several recording projects.
It is Steve's attention to tone and unparalled creativity ithat continues to set him apart from other guitar players. Steve has chosen the Aria AD-150 dreadnaught guitar as his go-to acoustic, and we couldn't be more proud!
Instruments: AD-150 Acoustic guitar
Greg Hanna - The Dickies
Greg Hanna is the dynamic bassist with true Punk icons, The Dickies and he is an Aria player. Greg is a graduate from Musicians Institute's Bachelor of Arts program and is a very accomplished player in a wide variety of styles.
Instruments: DMB-380 basses
Erik Della Penna - Natalie Merchant
Erik Della Penna is a veteran session guitarist, currently touring with Natalie Merchant, and he is an Aria player. Erik has a long list of CD credits, playing with everyone from Pete Seeger to Joan Baez. He is a multi-instrumentalist and has released many recordings with his band Kill Henry Sugar.
Instruments: A19C-200S
Links: www.killhenrysugar.com
Joe Dalton - Session Guitarist/Educator
When country guitar master Joe Dalton picks up a 6-string; everyone listens. A phenomenon that has followed Joe since he was a snot-nosed kid in the 5th grade.
Having picked up his first instrument at age 5, Dalton should have been considered a musical prodigy if it weren’t for the plain fact that he was only one of the latest branches to sprout from a very musical family tree with a legacy that spans decades. His great-grandfather conducted the City of Rome Orchestra in Italy; his grandfather was the leader of the New York Philharmonic; his father is solely responsible for bringing mallets into the U.S. Army Band Corps; his brother teaches at the Boston Conservatory...we could go on, but you get the point, right? Musical prowess runs through his veins; it’s the nucleus of his existence.
Though, what really makes Dalton so special is that he’s not only a country guitar wizard who can twang anyone into another dimension, he’s also an accomplished drummer, keyboardist and some say, “He can even sing too” (a disclosure that Dalton humbly admits and does so only on the basis of it being hearsay). Yet, what Dalton calls “hearsay” others would call reputation and believe us, he’s got a good one. Dalton has written feature articles for Guitar Player Magazine, How to Play Guitar and Fingerstyle Guitar. He is a clinician for C.F. Martin Guitars, Aria Guitars, Picato Strings, Pignose Amplifiers, Seymour Duncan Pickups, Quick Lessons, GC Records and the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society. It’s no wonder that he’s in demand as one of the best players and educators around which is how we met him.
Joe has been a Friend of the Fire for some time now and his line of TrueFire courses has grown into a powerhouse. Joe’s 25 Country Licks You Should Know ranks as the best selling TrueFire course of all time. His latest offering from TrueFire, Joe Dalton’s Big Twang is the second best selling course of all time. It bears repeating; when Joe Dalton picks up a six-string, everyone listens.
Other truefire courses include 100 Twang Thangs You Must Know, Fretboard Epiphanies, Acoustic Blues Handbook, and 50 Country Licks You Must Know.
Instruments: Several Aria acoustic and electric guitars!
Slick Joe Fick - Travis Mann Band, Nashville Session Bassist
Slick Joe Fick is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining and musical bassists in Tennessee. Currently touring with the Travis Mann Band, Joe is a fan of the Aria DMB-380 basses and uses them both on stage and in the studio.
Instruments: DMB-380 basses
August Zadra - Dennis De Young Band
August Zadra is currently on the road with Dennis DeYoung's Band. August is a long time Aria fan, counting his PE-RX80 as a favorite amongst his axes.
When August is not touring with Mr. DeYoung he plays with the popular Journey tribute band "Lights".
Instruments: PE-RX80
Links: www.dennisdeyoung.com
Russell Myers
Russell Myers is co-owner of Columbus Music Academy and has been playing and performing music since the age of four. He started with percussion instruments adding piano, keyboards, guitar and composition at 16 to his musical talents. As a young musician, Russ was self taught, but as a young adult has studied with many nationally renowned teachers such as Richard Sundin of Illnois State University and Dave Wheeler at Capital University with whom he studied piano, jazz improvisation, composition and music harmony and theory. In addition, Russell has participated in many master classes with such noted guitarists as Christopher Parkening and Jason Vieaux. Many of Russell's students have gone on to pursue music degrees at Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Capital University, OSU, Wheaton, University of Chicago, and Pittsburgh School of Performing Arts.
His history as a performer includes a two-year tour of the U.S. with the Center Stage Jazz Trio, performances with the Wethervane Players Theater Orchestra, The Ink Spots, and the Granville Players Orchestra. He has worked with Sting, Phil Collins as well as Lou Rawls and Patty LaBelle. In addition, Russell performs as a freelance studio musician and is well versed in classical, jazz, rock, funk, reggae, Afro-Cuban and other multi-cultural music styles. He has accompanied the modern dance classes at Dennison University on classical guitar. Russell’s compositions and arrangements are published through MWS Entertainment & Publications, LLC and can be purchased online.
Along with Russell’s rigorous teaching and performing schedule, he is co-owner of MWS Fine Stringed Instruments which will represent Aria classical and flamenco guitars. In the Fall of 2010, Russell will be launching a series of guitar lessons available online through his personal website.
Links:
www.russmyers.com
www.mwspublications.com
www.mwsfinestringedinstruments.com
www.columbusmusicacademy.com
Mark Delpriora
Mark Delpriora
has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay and Italy. He has been the recipient of grants and awards including the inaugural Andres Segovia Award for Outstanding Performance (given by the Manhattan School of Music with Andres Segovia in attendance), the Beards Fund Award for a New York Debut , the Cooper Institute of the Arts and Humanities , The Artists International Distinguished Artist Award , Meet the Composer Grant , and a United Nations Travel Grant. Currently co-chairman of the guitar department at the Manhattan School of Music, Mr.
Delpriora has taught master classes throughout the U.S. and has been a guest teacher at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil where he taught students from throughout South America. Delpriora has been on the juries of several international competitions incluing the Naumberg, Guitar Foundation of America, Lagonegro (Italy), Barrios and the D’addario Concerto competitions. He is a regular contributer to Guitar Review and has written articles on music for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and NewMusicBox. Mr. Delpriora's series of compositions under the umbrella title “Wunderkammer” regularly appears in Soundboard magazine beginning in issue 34 number 2.
Mr. Delpriora was recently invited by Sharon Isbin to be Instructor of Guitar Literature and Fretboard Harmony in the Juilliard School’s newly established undergraduate guitar program. He was chosen to perform in Andres Segovia’s New York Masterclasses in 1982 and 1987 which was broadcast on PBS and other television stations. Mr. Delpriora has recorded for Koch International Classics, Soundspells, Philips,Tzadik and CRI. He is currrently working on a series of CD releases with flutist, Laurel Zucker on Cantilena Records. Their first CD, “Romanza Andaluza,” was followed by “Pollack Plays Jazz” and “Classical Masterpieces” and "French Treasures" An active composer, Delpriora’s compositions are published by Berben Edizioni Musicali ( the 50 minute, Sonata 3 and Sonata 2) , Editions Orphee (Tango Caffe Carciofo, 10 Short Studies in Kaleidoscope,Pocket Sonata), and Guitar Arts Publishing ( Four Images). In addition, his works have appeared in anthologies published by Mel Bay ( Tambu ) and Dover (Black is the Color...).
Mark recently received an Aria A19C-200N and sent us this email: "The sound and playabilty of the A19C-series guitar is a fantastic addition to Aria's wonderful line of classical guitars. Besides the beauty of the design, excellent wood, lovely tone and projection, this guitar allows the player to study and perform the works of Sor, Giuliani, as well as other 19th century composers in a fresh way. The A19C-series guitar has a string length that fits the demands this music makes on the left hand and voicing properties that allow the 19th century guitar repertoire to sing naturally and clearly."
Links:
/www.delpriora.com/
David Henninger - Spater
David Henninger is the guitarist and vocalist for the hard rock/metal band Spater - one of New York's most vital and exciting bands. He is such a fan of heavy music that he founded the Finger Lakes Music Fest, which features and promotes the top metal bands os the region. He is also a big fan of Aria guitars: "I have been playing ARIA guitars since 1984! I love them. I believe they are the best guitars in their price range. Over the years I have played many different brands and always wound up sticking with my Aria's! One doesn't need to look far to find pictures of me with an assortment of Aria guitars from my vintage 1984 candy apple red Aria Pro II RS Straycat to my HM III! Every gig I do with my band, musicians are always interested in my guitars because of the tone and uniqueness. Every recording we have ever done, I use strictly Aria guitars."
Links:
www.myspace.com/daverockh
www.spaterrock.com