REAL DIAMOND
- a Tribute to Neil Diamond starring.....
Curtis DiDomizio
Curt was born and raised in the Philadelphia area of Southeastern Pennsylvania; he served in the United States Army in the early 1980’s and as a Karaoke host in the late 80's and early 90's. Curtis’ true passion was writing, singing and performing. And so the story goes.
REAL DIAMOND was born! Curt set out with 27 songs, a 10-piece band, and a vision.
Since they’re 2008 debut at Maple Point Performing Arts Center, Real Diamond has
become the premier Neil Diamond tribute show and quite possibly the first
world-class professional show of its kind. 750+ people witnessed the first 2 hour show
Curtis ever performed as Real Diamond
REAL DIAMOND is a professional band dedicated to the faithful re-creation of the live Neil Diamond experience. We are obsessively passionate about providing you and your audience the finest Neil Diamond show short of having the man there himself.
Curt Di Domizio fronts the band with a chillingly realistic Neil Diamond interpretation. Your audience will be amazed and dazzled as they dance and sing along to four decades of incredible, unforgettable songs.
Our set list includes note-for-note renditions of all Neil Diamond's greatest hits including: Cherry Cherry, Holly Holy, Kentucky Woman, Cracklin Rosie, Sweet Caroline, America, Love on the Rocks, September Morn, Solitary Man, I'm a Believer, Song Sung Blue, You Don't Bring me Flowers, If You Know What I Mean, Thank the Lord for the Nighttime, I am..I Said, Hello Again, Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show, Play Me, Desiree, Shilo, He ain't Heavy, Red Red Wine, Forever in Blue Jeans, Beautiful Noise and many more.
Thanks to Neil Diamond for the many years of wonderful songs!
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shines like the real deal."- Joe Plasko/Times News
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ABOUT US
Curt DiDomizio - Lead Vocals
Frank Gattis – Drums/Music Director
Drummer Frank Gattis is a 33-year veteran of the Philadelphia music scene and has performed with countless Rock, Funk, Soul, and Blues ensembles in the Philadelphia region and throughout the USA. He has performed at local music venues including the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Trocadero, the Keswick Theater, the Media Theater and at WXPN's World Café Live. Frank has also performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, the Montreal Music Festival, and the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, as well as concerts and clubs in Boston, NYC, Atlantic City, New Orleans, Washington DC, Las Vegas, and Miami.
Pamela Carbonara - Piano / Keyboards / Band ManagerPam was born into a musical family…. Dad could play everything he touched; Mom played the piano, sister and brother talented as well. Needless to say, they had some fun family times around the ol’ piano! Thanks to Pam's piano teacher and her 6th grade teacher for bringing out her creative musical talent, which she did absolutely nothing with until much later. Being married young and raising two beautiful daughters, Pam had no time to think about pursuing a musical career. One day at work, her talents were discovered and with some encouragement from a dear friend, she started playing first in restaurants, then cocktail hours, weddings, parties, there was no stopping her. Pam found her first band in a little bar in Lambertville, NJ. She told them they were good, but could use a keyboard player, they said ok let’s do it! They had a good run and a lot of fun, friends for life!!! She then found (on Craig’s list) a bass player and a drummer, looking for a keyboard player for their band, which led Pam to Curt who was starting up a Neil Diamond tribute band named "forever in blue jeans" which blossomed into, "Real Diamond” the premier and most awesome Neil Diamond Tribute band ever.....what a fun and incredible experience this has been for Pam!
Sharon Stirling - Singer/PercussionSharon is a versatile singer who hails from Northeast Philadelphia. She started singing in her teens in the tri state area, months after graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts when she joined the "John Alexander Band". Playing at Old Philly Clubs like Dobbs, Khyber Pass and live broadcast's from the Empire Rock Room, the all originals band opened for local groups Ezra Mohawk, Pretty Poison, Tommy Conwell as well as national acts like Foghat and Johnny Winter. Ironically, the keyboard player from JAB would introduce her to "Real Diamond" front man Curtis DiDomizio years later. Later, Sharon entered Temple University’s Jazz Vocal Program and received her bachelors in music. One of her greatest accomplishment's to date (Next to having Grace, age 3!) was headlining Zanzibar Blue in Philly and Delaware, where she was compared to jazz contemporary Stacy Kent. Performing the old jazz standards secured a position in one of Philadelphia's premier Wedding Bands for the past 20 years. Most recently as lead vocalist for the The Robin Dubin Orchestra. Passionate for adventure, Stirling became the newest addition to “The Real Diamond Band” as one of “The Diamondette’s". Sharon exclaims, "I feel so fortunate to be working with this multi talented band!" She looks forward to a long rocking career with them. “I went to the audition and thought, "Man, this guy sounds like the real deal".
Debbie Fossile - Singer/Percussion
Debbie has been performing and singing professionally in the Philadelphia area in a variety of bands for many years. Debbie has studied voice and is classically trained. Her music repetoire includes all genres of music from classical, country, rock, and pop. Debbie was Miss Bucks County and a former runner-up in the Miss Pa. pageant which enabled her to appear as an opening act for professional comedians such as David Brenner and Pat Cooper. Debbie's recent endevour includes making a music video for her original song which was recently produced in Nashville.
Michael Cattell - Bass GuitarPhiladelphia, PA based Bassist Michael Cattell has been performing and recording music in the mid-Atlantic region for 3 decades. Like most rockers in the area, he started out performing in bars, mastering the classic rock and prog genres. Mike has spent more recent years working in the casino entertainment field. One of his true passions is writing and recording. His proficiency on electric bass, work ethic, dependability and great ears, have earned him a reputation as one of the Philadelphia area’s most versatile and in-demand musicians. Mike spends much of his time performing and recording with some of the Delaware Valley’s best up and coming and veteran acts. Mike joined Real Diamond in late 2015. A high-energy live performance, musical experience and professionalism are Mike’s trademark offerings, which has helped bring the whole group to an even higher level. Mike has also been arranging and producing work with his long time original band for over 2 decades. Mike currently resides in South Jersey, just outside of Philly.
Jim White - Percussions/Drums
Jim is a 40 year veteran in the New Jersey and Philadelphia music scene starting my career in 1977 had the privilege of opening up for bill Haley's comets the coasters Tommy cook and the original platters and the coasters in 1979 was with the great disco band rhythm fever in 1982 I went on the road with the show band Applause our shows included a tribute to Manhattan Transfer during the eighties and nineties had the privilege of working at the resorts in the Poconos at Jim Thorpe Mount Airy Lodge Split Rock Lodge and Hershey resort also Harrahs casino the Tropicana Caesars and the gold nugget of Atlantic City and currently working in the New Jersey Philadelphia nightclub Casino and private sector my musical influences are Earth Wind and Fire Santana average white band Tower of Power Tito Puente Grover Washington and blood sweat and tears it is truly my pleasure and honor entertaining my many friends and looking forward to doing so with the great players of the real diamond band
WAYNE JOHNSTON - ELECTRIC/ACOUSTIC GUITAR
WAYNE JOHNSTON - ELECTRIC/ACOUSTIC GUITARWayne has played music on and off the road for 50 years. Along with his acoustic and electric guitar skills, he got an endorsement from Hohner Harmonicas in 1975. He had a successful career with his brothers who were regulars on the WWVA Wheeling Jamboree for 4 years. Their Nashville recordings culminated in chart activity and nominations for independent group of the year. He has 19 published originals on iTunes. For a full bio, go to www.waynejohnstonmusic.com
Matt Hetzler - Saxaphones, Flyers Post Game Analysis
COMING SOON
Matthew Salazar - Trumpet
Matt is a Philadelphia area trumpet player proud to be a part of Real Diamond. He currently is pursuing a degree in Jazz Performance at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and performs regularly in jazz, classical, and commercial settings. Drawing from influences across the musical spectrum, Matt enjoys bringing a tasteful blend of jazz and pop to Real Diamond's show.
JAMES PECSI - ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC GUITARS
James Adam Pecsi slid fully formed from southern rock, blues, metal, and punk rock's womb in late 1989. Over the course of twenty hot years, he unintentionally birthed a genre (?), moved on, moved forward, and surged mercurial through the post-alternative music scene, tearing into tense, stark, dub bass-driven new-wave, T-Rex-esque glam, and swirling, clattering, orchestral atmospherics, whilst churning it all into a grand velvet, Rimbaudian hallucinogenic distortion. His is a wild, inspired, enthralling guitar sound that pays tribute to classic and modern pop as much as it is experimental. And it is still and now… there is…Real Diamond. After being in many rock/blues cover and original acts, James has settled into Real Diamond band from inception. James plays acoustic and electric guitars and is also one of the founding members of REAL DIAMOND.