Egidio offers
you the truly
beautiful
sounds of
Italian and
Italian-American
music as only
performed on
the
mandolin...
In the 21st
Century, the
long forgotten
sounds of the
mandolin are
still very
much
alive
& well in the
Faiella
family!
Those who have
heard him play
know that he
surely plays
from the
heart!
American-Italian
Mandolinista
I'm
Made
In
The
U.S.A.!
BABY! |
Egidio was
born and
raised in
Aliquippa,
Pennsylvania
in the United
States of
America. This
American-Italian
mandolinista
only knows of
Old World
Italy through
his childhood
memories of
visiting his
grandparents.
Although he's
never been to
Italy, he
vividly
remembers
beautiful
Italian
melodies from
his childhood
days... when
he was a
little boy, he
actually
thought
everyone's
grandpa played
the mandolin!
Young Egidio
was captured
by the
beautiful
sounds of the
mandolin and
fell deeply in
love with the
music he heard
because music
was surely in
his blood!
That's right,
musical talent
surely is in
the blood...
Benny (aka;
Eugene) was
taught by his
father, the
late James
Egidio "Jimmy"
Faiella, how
to play the
acoustic
guitar,
helping pave
the way for
his success
and eventually
spending more
than half of
his life as a
professional
guitarist.
Benny is the
founder and
rhythm
guitarist of
the musical
group
The Jaggerz.
In 1970, their
Billboard #1
hit song
"The Rapper"
(written by
local rock
legend
Donnie Iris
and featured
on Time/Life's
Sounds Of The
Seventies
Collection)
thrust this
Pittsburgh-Beaver
County group
into the
national
spotlight. "The
Rapper"
ultimately
sold over 2.5
million copies
worldwide!
Egidio didn't
begin to
seriously
play the
mandolin until
mid 1996. He
says, "After
my Grandfather
passed away in
1981, my
Grandmother
gave me his
mandolin. It
actually
collected dust
in my closet
for long
periods. I
only played it
once or twice
a year at
special family
gatherings and
I only knew a
handful of
grandpa's
favorites."
Like many
children and
grandchildren
of Italian
decent, Egidio
was born and
raised on
American
culture and
music. Egidio
makes it
clear, "I've
literally
recorded and
produced
MANY
different
styles of
music
throughout my
life and I can
honestly say
that NOTHING
remotely
compares to
the feelings I
experience
when I play my
mandolin... I
close my eyes
and feel like
a little boy
again all over
again... It's
the GREATEST
feeling!"
|
Egidio
Was
Re-Inspired
By A
Priceless
Homemade
Recording... |
Inspired in
early 1996 by
a priceless
homemade
recording of
his
grandfather
playing his
mandolin and
acoustic
guitar. This
rare recording
was created in
the early
1970's by
Uncle Joe
Faiella.
Egidio has
mastered the
feel and
beautiful
tones of the
"Italian Folk
Style" of
Mandolin
playing. The
most emotional
song for
Egidio is an
original
musical
composition
entitled, "Egidio's
Theme",
which was
created by his
Grandfather.
Egidio says,
"I remembered
that melody so
clearly...
when I first
heard his
tape, I could
actually
picture him
playing it...
Now that I'm
older, I'm
very proud of
him for many
different
reasons... I
can't explain
how much I
miss his
excitement...
the unique &
beautiful
emotions I
felt when I
heard that
music... will
live with me
for the rest
of my life...
Thank God...
;-)
My dear ole'
Uncle Joe
probably
didn't realize
that he
was
recording one
of our
family's most
cherished
treasures
when he
recorded his
father (my
Grandfather)
back in the
early
1970's...
it touches
something deep
in our
souls...
That
homemade
recording is
the primary
reason why I
decided to
seriously play
the mandolin!
I also
have
my beautiful
Aunt Rose
Marie and
Grandmother,
the late Mary
Bove Faiella,
to thank for
encouraging my
playing since
grandpa passed
away!
I
can't count
how many times
they've
mentioned to
me
that I
should pick up
his mandolino
& play them a
song.
I'm
so THANKFUL
that I finally
listened to
them after all
those years!".
Egidio
explains,
"the
feelings I
experience
when I listen
to
my
grandfather's
homemade
recording are
very
emotional...
I miss him &
his music very
much... It
becomes more &
more emotional
as I grow
older..."
