George Marinelli was Bonnie Raitt's right hand man on guitar for 30 years. Before that he was a founding member of the Grammy winning band Bruce Horsnby and the Range. He's always been a sideman, band guy, and a session player, but constantly writing, recording, and releasing his own solo albums. He was born on Staten Island, New York, into a blue collar Italian-Catholic family, surrounded by diversity in both people, food, and most importantly music. His parents and older sisters instilled a love of a variety of music, from Big Band, Afro-Cuban, Rock & Roll, and Reggae, all of which find their way into his playing and his music. Most recently he's been producing and mixing for other artists in his studio, WingDing, and recording and readying his latest album, "Except Always." It's a two CD set of nine new songs and a seventeen song retrospective of past albums to be released on Loud Folk Records on May 17, 2024.
In addition to many albums by Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Hornsby and the Range, over the years George has played guitar on recordings by such varied artists as, Art Garfunkel, Vince Gill, Robert Earl Keen, Joe Ely, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Dominic Chianese (that's right, Uncle Junior in The Sopranos and Johnny Ola in The Godfather!!), Peter Cetera, Garth Brooks, Colin Hay (Men At Work), Wynonna Judd, Cliff Richard, and too many others to mention.
The title track from the new 2024 album
Except Always
The title track from the album
Self Made Fool.
Oh No, Not Love Again
from the album Wild Onions
The title cut from
Burn It All Down
Crooked Little Secret from the album
Burn It All Down
Twisted Tango from the album
Wild Onions
The Long Goodbye from the album
So Far, So Good
Bonnie Raitt:
George is one of the greatest and most unique guitarists I know. I’ve been so lucky to get to play with him the last 30 years in my band and cowrite and record 4 songs together. All throughout, he’s written, played and produced a string of terrific solo albums, showcasing his amazing range, chops, wit and soul. The way he can bring in and ace so many different musical styles, write lyrics of substance and smarts, sing and play all the instruments, and engineer himself is maddening! No one can catch a groove like George. And now he’s got this great new album and including a 17 song retrospective from his earlier records. Can’t recommend it more highly.
Necessary Evil Album Review
Chances are you have heard George Marinelli's work in the past, perhaps it was when you punched a button on your car radio and locked into a tune featuring his fretwork, part of a canon of guitar credits that act as a parallel who's who of pop music. George has played on hits, with a capital H, with everyone from Bruce Hornsby and the Range (a band he co-founded) to the Dixie Chicks; Willie Nelson to Bonnie Raitt (present member of that touring and recording combo), Joe Ely to James Taylor, and many more. And so, throughout the years, Marinelli has earned a well-deserved reputation as a songwriter's guitar player. But, on Necessary Evil, he stakes claim to another reputation - that of guitar player's songwriter, a self-contained artist who can effortlessly craft, perform, and produce pop-driven gems. Necessary Evil is a record that is remarkably both cohesive and varied. You can dig in and listen to the attention to detail that is a Marinelli hallmark, or you can sit back and let the tunes cover you like a big blue sky. But, before you wander those aisles like the inhabitants of that lost chain store, check out George Marinelli's latest, a place where songs make a comeback.
The Celebrity Cafe George Marinelli - 'Wild Onions' album review
By Elizabeth Learned, 6/9/2014
George Marinelli is best known as one of the guitarists in Bonnie Raitt’s band. Having been on the music scene for years, Marinelli released his fourth album, Wild Onions back in March. For two songs, fellow band members from Raitt’s band - Ricky Fataar and James "Hutch" Hutchinson - join Marinelli playing the drums and bass, respectively. The songs consist of five originals and five cover versions. Marinelli captures the essence of the music behind his lyrics and the harmony of the vocals effortlessly. The instruments play as a good backdrop to the smooth and melodic lyrics Marinelli brings to life as he sings. Each song has its own unique sound and Marinelli ends the album with a soft and somber “Good Night New York,” a very mellow and smooth song that brings a really good album to a close. From the beginning, many of the songs had a faster pitch, with harmonious rhythm and vocals before moving into a much slower pace.
Marinelli has done a fine job of bringing together his own style of music and making an album that is stirring for people who have followed his music for years. His music takes on a type of soft rock feel that is influenced by the likes of The Beatles and Paul Simon. Wild Onions has a distinct rhythm that any fan of music could enjoy at any time.
After a long career in music in which he has recorded with various artists, Marinelli’s album shows the type of talent and creativity he has when it comes to music. The album is brought to life with stirring strums of the guitar and a foot-tapping drum beat.
Songs I liked include “Dandelion,” “Hearts Don’t Break,” and “Baby You’re A Rich Man.”
HERALDED GUITARIST GEORGE MARINELLI RELEASES FOURTH SOLO ALBUM, WILD ONIONS
March 18, 2014 (Nashville, TN) — After the completion of Bonnie Raitt’s popular world tour to support her GRAMMY-winning Slipstream album, her long-time guitarist George Marinelli is releasing his fourth solo album, Wild Onions. The new album, which includes five original songs and five covers, is an exciting blend of his musical influences, including afro, Latin, and reggae. “The original songs I wrote with my long-time co-writer and pal, Rich Wayland. He has a really unique way of articulating lyrics that would otherwise be pretty ordinary,” he praises. “I also wanted to cut some cover songs for this album, and I had some favorites that I’d always fantasized about recording so I did.”
Marinelli says that “Baby You're A Rich Man” by The Beatles and “Dandelion” by the Rolling Stones are both on the record with a different twist. “I have dug both songs forever and both seem to be overlooked, so I thought they’d be good candidates for covers.” Another cover on the album is “A Lover's Question,” written by Brook Benton and performed by R&B artist Clyde McPhatter, who started The Drifters. “This is a very old soul/R&B song from the early '60s. I approached it with a definite afro vibe in the bass and drums, and reggae in the rhythm guitar. I wanted to keep it simple and open.” Then he confides, “For the first time in my life, I whistled on a recording!”
On Wild Onions, the respected musician’s talent is on full display and it is easy to see why his career has endured year after year. Marinelli is an original member of Bruce Hornsby and The Range, toured with James Taylor, and played on Ray Charles last album, Genius Loves Company. For more than twenty years, Marinelli has been part of Raitt’s band. “After all these years it is like an extended family,” he says of his long musical relationship with her and the rest of the band. “It's such a terrific gig for me because of the variety and depth of material.”
During the making of Wild Onions, Marinelli channeled his musical influences like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Chuck Berry. He strived for spontaneity and spark, focusing on music over technology. “I really like to keep production to a minimum and let the music speak for itself,” he has said. Always the consummate musician, Marinelli played every instrument on the album except for two songs, which Raitt’s rhythm section, Ricky Fataar on drums and James “Hutch” Hutchinson on bass, did the honors. In fact, on one of the stand out songs, "Hearts Don't Break," their handy work can be heard.