My name is Bob Monteleone and I have been performing, recording, writing & playing music since my pre-teens.  In fact, I am one of the lucky ones who can actually say I get to "play" music as my career.
 

I moved to the Detroit, MI area (from Smithtown, NY) in 1978.  I played in the usual number of rock bands that most musicians do while developing my sound, technique and stage experience.

 

The first notable band I got to join was the premier Detroit reggae outfit Black Market in December in 1982. Black Market was a very heady experience - we were known world wide.  Every winter we were flown to Jamaica by the local club owners to play - and maybe I didn't mention this - but we were white boys!

White boys who could really play but still... 

So this was quite an honor.  Black Market are in the Detroit Hall Of Fame - so, notable is an understatement.  

 

The next band I joined was The Look featuring Dave Edwards.  Dave is one of my closest friends  and my longest standing music partner.  He is a great singer who I think should get more credit than he does.

 

I left The Look in the mid-90's and began building a recording studio and found out I had the ability to produce music.  Producing for those who may not understand the term is the art of recording the sounds of the musicians playing a composition, getting the best out of every performance and then taking the recorded music and balancing the sounds (mixing) to hopefully create an impacting listening experience!  That is simplfying it - but you get the picture. 

 

Over the years I have produced Dave Edwards, The Reefermen, The Belle Islanders, Luck And Trouble,Robert Thibodeau & The Stumbling Mice among others and every project is something to learn from.  

A few years back, Dave Edwards was making a "roots" rock & roll record.  His manager's vision was a sound somewhat like Sam Cooke's classic album Night Beat.  If you have never heard this record, get it now.  Anyway, I put together a band with upright bass player Ken Pesick and as an experiment we recorded the album's opening song "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen" note for note. It was nominated for Outstanding Song in the Gospel category at the following year's Detroit Music Awards.

 

I am married with 2 teenage boys.  My wife April sings with me quite frequently.  My oldest son, Coltrane, shares the stage with me quite a bit too.  He plays guitar and he loves to perform!  My youngest son, Miles, doesn't seem to be following in the family business as of yet - but - he is joyful, sensitive and seems to be very happy amid our chaos most of the time!  

 

I am a guitar teacher as well.  One of my students, Jon Ketchum, went on to play with national acts such as Cher Lloyd &  Taio Cruz.   We still text each other often. 

I spend a good deal of my days either teaching or working in my studio or writing new songs... 

 

In late 2012 (very late - like a few days before Christmas) Bob & April put out a holiday record called It's Christmas Time   Check it out, we hope you like it.  

In the summer of 2018 Bob & April released the full length CD Yin Yang featuring 10 original songs written by both myself and April. I played all the instruments on the recording with the exceptio of the upright bass, played by Ken Pesick on the song "Karimba".

Bob & April recorded and released the single "Never Thought It's End Like This (Coronavirus Song)" during lockdown in April 2020 and was nominated for Outstanding Recording in the Americana category in the 2021 Detroit Music Awards.

 

In August, 2013, we released Nothing's Gonna Stop Us, the 2nd CD from The Belle Islanders.  The Belles is our reggae project.  The band features Black Market members Mitch Purdy (drums & percussion),  Jim Megerian (bass and lead vocals on "It's Too Hot"), Dave Edwards on vocals & guitar and April on vocals & harmonies.  I sing and play all the guitars and keyboards on this release too.  When you need some sunshine - check this record out.  WDET has been an early supporter!  

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Acoustic Madness.  Acoustic Madness is myself on guitar & vocals, Mitch Purdy on the Cajon & mandolin and Jorian Olk-Szost on upright & electric bass. 

We play about 6 shows a month including a couple of regular gigs like the Uptown Grille in Commerce Twp, MI (every Tuesday) and the Stony Creek Roadhouse in Shelby Twp, MI (the last Friday of every month).

In the warm months we play a lot of southeast Michigan festivals like Arts Beats & Eats, Plymouth Fall Festival and Port Huron's Blue Water Festival and in the winter we play Detroit's Winter Blast.

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Acoustic Madness has 3 full length CD's:

VOLUME 1 (2011) and ACOUSTIC MADNESS (2014):Both with Ken Pesick on upright & acoustic bass

SURROUNDED IN BIG TOWN (2016): With guest musicians Pete Kahn (sax) and Bob Wilson (piano). 

We are currently putting the finishing touches on the full length album tentatively titled Tiffany.    

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Thanks for coming by here, thanks for your support and I hope to see you at the shows!

 

Best,

 

Bob