Valentine’s Day Michael Battista
The development of Battista’s unique style is a result of a lifetime of diverse and numerous musical influences. Battista’s musical journey began at a very early age. Growing up in a talented Italian musical family meant that he was always surrounded by music. His father played the accordion in his own band, which exposed him to Latin, Italian, and American jazz standards. From the time he was two years old, Battista could not only hear music, but also feel it in a very deep way as he would sing to the radio as early as two years old. At three years old he got his first piano and by the time he was five he would also play the drums to his father’s accordion during rehearsals. At age eleven, Battista was ready to master an instrument. His father suggested that he play the saxophone, and after taking lessons for only six months, Battista began playing the sax at Sicilian weddings in his father’s band.
Eventually, Battista discovered the instrument that became one of the staples of his career, the guitar. It wasn’t long after picking up the guitar that Battista began playing many different genres, including, Rock, Blues, Top 40, Funk and more. These early years influenced the development of his unique guitar style.
After playing rock at many back yard parties, at the age of nineteen Battista started his own rock band, showcasing at SIR studios in front many major record labels. Soon, Battista began touring all over the United States and internationally playing guitar and saxophone, opening for famous bands like The Beach Boys, The Thompson Twins and B.B. King, to name a few.
After unsuccessfully searching for vocalists for his original projects for many years, Battista discovered his own abilities as a vocalist and soon was considered a triple threat as a hired gun playing guitar, sax and singing.
In addition to performing live, Battista started producing many artists of various genres such as pop, hip-hop, house/techno, R&B;, rap, and alternative rock. After many years of experience in writing and producing many different styles of music in various genres, Battista had a desire to create a unique project of his own. Having used the Nylon Spanish guitar sound in many of his productions of other artists he produced, Battista became increasingly inspired by the Spanish-style guitar. This would have a profound influence on the direction his musical journey would take, and it all fell into place for him from there. Realizing that everything he listened to as a child had directed, shaped, and influenced his own musical style, Battista would create his own unique sound. Battista had finally found his niche, and he became inspired to write and record his first song, “Just One Kiss,” which became an instant hit among fans. This song set the pathway that led Battista to produce a total of six albums selling thousands of CD’s independently in malls and at his live events. At one point during several in-store performances at Virgin Mega Stores in Las Vegas, Battista claimed the number one spot for album sales each time he performed, selling over two hundred copies of his CDs per hour and outselling CDs sales of many other well-known musical superstars of that time.
Battista’s talent with a variety of musical instruments and genres, combined with his strong vocals and unique style has found an appreciative audience with adoring fans. Although the Spanish guitar had been the foundation of his music, his vast influences have afforded him the ability not to restrict himself to any one particular genre. For his newest productions, Battista has gone back to his electric guitar roots and incorporated it back into his music. As well, Battista has fallen in love with the sound of an Orchestra, so he now loves to compose all of the orchestration that accompanies his new music.
Battista’s latest releases “After All These Years”, " Devotion" & "I Will Fear No Evil" are the perfect example of the unique eclectic fusion of all of the genres of music Battista has encountered in his musical journey.