Stay Tuned in with PMM…we will have an exclusive interview with Monte up next week!
Monte is an acclaimed rock musician, guitarist and songwriter, who just released his second album, “Pain, Love & Destiny” in October. Within its first week, the album hit #1 Pop Album, #1 Rock Album and #30 Top Albums on CDBaby, and cracked the Top 200 on iTunes. It’s an explosive, testosterone-fueled rock album chock full of electrifying guitar solos, and lyrics offering up an ancient, surreal campfire tale of Faustian deals, death and rebirth. The album also features Kelle Rhoads (Randy’s brother) on piano.
Monte has also been the live guitarist and a co-writer of Madonna’s since 2001, the live guitarist and music director for Adam Lambert, and former member of Prong . He is also the #1 top-funded rock musician in the history of Kickstarter, having raised a staggering $65,500 from fans to finance the new album. In February, Jarrell Guitars also released Monte’s own special edition guitar series, and he played the Superbowl with Madonna. He was also honored with a Best Solo Artist Award and four other nominations from the 2012 Artists in Music Awards, and was just honored with a “Career Achievement Award” from the Hollywood F.A.M.E. Awards and nominated for Best Male Singer/Songwriter by the Los Angeles Music Awards. Monte is getting ready to release his third album, “M.P.3: The Power of Three, Pt. 1” which was engineered by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica), on Nov. 19.
Raised in Longview, TX, Monte Pittman made the bold decision at only 24 to move to L.A. to pursue a career as a professional musician. Upon arriving in LA, he worked at a local Guitar Center. Realizing he was better at teaching than selling, he left to start providing guitar lessons.
As fate would have it, his third student ended up being British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, who had just received a guitar from his girlfriend, Madonna. Monte was then introduced to her, and became her guitar teacher. A month later, Monte was invited to join Madonna on stage at the David Letterman Show. He has since supported her on five world tours, starting with 2001’s Drowned World Tour, and shares writing credits on a number of her songs.
Monte has also played guitar and bass for industrial rock band Prong, and is credited with co-writing songs on 2003’s Scorpio Rising and co-writing/co-producing 2007’s Power of the Damager. Monte has also been the lead guitarist and music director for Adam Lambert, and toured on the Glam Nation Tour in 2010.
In November 2009, Monte released his debut acoustic album, The Deepest Dark, which skyrocketed to No. 1 on CDBaby.com’s Best-Selling Acoustic Albums list, and No. 9 in the Top 10 Best-Selling CDs.
He is currently gearing up to release Part 1 of his next album, The Power Of Three, which will be released in three parts over the next year, starting in November. The first part will be acoustic, followed by metal, and then a blues EP. The first EP was recorded in one day with famed Grammy Awardwinning producer/engineer Flemming Rasmussen, best known for his work with Metallica, Cat Stevens and Morbid Angel.
PITTSBURGH MUSIC MAGAZINE 