Renowned Grammy winning singer-songwriter, producer, and music director of global events David Pack is gearing up for quite an ambitious winter season featuring a holiday benefit single available Friday, an exciting NAMM presentation January 23, and the release of the Beato Band’s debut album with drummer and CEO of Beato Bags, Fred Beato February 26. Pack and Beato are reuniting for this eponymous album for the first time since they won the US Battle of the Bands together in 1968!
David Pack was the co-founder, guitarist and main vocalist for the popular band Ambrosia. His collected works as a performer and producer have sold over 40 million units worldwide. Noted Ambrosia hits written and sung by Pack include certified Gold singles “Biggest Part of Me” (1980), “You’re the Only Woman (You & I)” (1980) and “How Much I Feel” (1978), as well as being co-writer of their first Top 10 hit, “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” (1975).
Pack is also a Grammy-winning producer for Wynonna Judd, Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin and Kenny Loggins. He also has produced projects with legendary stars Faith Hill, Natalie Cole, Patti LaBelle, Trisha Yearwood, Selena, Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Patti Austin, Leann Rimes, Garth Brooks, Linda Ronstadt, Andre Crouch, David Benoit, Bruce Hornsby, Chick Corea, Michael McDonald, Chet Atkins, Olivia Newton-John, and CeCe Winans. He served as music director/producer for President Bill Clinton’s inaugurations in January 1993 and 1997. He has also produced several charity fundraising albums and events, as well as his own solo albums including 2014 release Napa Crossroads.
Pack’s Christmas single is titled “Silent Night/Evening News Dec 2015” that is inspired by the poignant Simon & Garfunkel “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night” track from their 1966 album Parsley, Sage Rosemary and Thyme. Pack’s version uses headlines from December 2, 2015 including news reports from major American news TV broadcasts that he hopes will show not a lot has changed in the great need for peace on earth. All funds raised by the single, available on iTunes and other outlets, will go to noted Pastor Rick Warren’s Global PEACE Plan, to assist the poor, care for the sick, and promote reconciliation.
The NAMM trade show, attended by over 200,000 musicians annually, will host a panel moderated by David Pack titled “Digital Royalties from Sound Exchange” on January 23, 2016 at 4pm. This is a must attend for any recording artist who wants to plug into the fastest growing royalty source in the music industry. Pack sits down with Sound Exchange to discuss everything artists need to know about this breakthrough digital collective management organization. Expect to see special guests, including noted singer/songwriter and actress Katie Garfield, legendary drummer for Toto and The Who Simon Phillips, and former Rooney front-man, actor, and director Robert Coppola Schwartzman, discuss their experience with SoundExchange from the artist’s point of view.
The release of the Beato Band album, represents an incredible career arc for the two musicians and old friends who reunited in 2006 when they accidentally learned they were both living within blocks of each other in Orange County, just a stone’s throw from their hometown of Torrance. David Pack and Fred Beato had been bandmates in Symbols of Tyme, their 9 piece high school band who won the national Battle of the Bands contest in 1968. Initially Pack was just going to help Beato with his solo album, but as the two old friends hung out and worked on the project, they decided to do it as a duo and supplement their tracks with top musician and songwriter friends including Steve Porcaro (Toto), Paquito Hechavarria (Miami Sound Machine, in one of his last recordings), Jimmy Nichols (Faith Hill), Alex Al (Michael Jackson/Stevie Wonder), Simon Jason Smith (Idina Menzel), Rafael Padilla (Miami Sound Machine), Francisco Torres (Poncho Sanchez), Ronnie Blake (Green Day), Charlie Bisharat (John Tesh), drum legends Joe Porcaro and Paul Leim and others.