A
12-year-old Riverside boy rushes home from his first guitar
lesson. Mel Bay book in hand he sits down to practice
the assigned work. “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Eventually losing
his enthusiasm, he randomly strums some chords and stumbles
on the fact that A minor is the first chord to “The House
of The Rising Sun”. He closes the book and proceeds to
look for the rest of the chords. He found them. He also
found that he could write his own songs and that’s when
it all began.
Phil would sneak in
to Banat Hall to hear “Cesar & The Romans”, attend
CYO dances because “The Rogues” were playing, hitchhike
to The KB Fun-Affair to catch “Gary Puckett & The
Union Gap”, walk to the Boulevard Cave because “The Madmen”,
“The Rocking Paramounts” or “The Lonely Souls” were there.
He’d tag along with his older sister to the Dougherty
High School dances to gawk at “Tony Galla & The Rising
Sons”, and when hired to sell plastic binoculars at a
War Memorial concert of “The Beach Boys” and “The Loving
Spoonful” he found an empty seat, put his box of binoculars
under it and sat and listened to the opening act, “Stan
& The Ravens”. This of course was the great Stan Szelest’s
band.
Six years (and many
bands later) he was asked to join the group “FLASH”. The
band consisted of guitarist Jimmy Ralston, bass player
Larry Swist, drummer Rich Pidanick, Hammond C-3 player
Dean Mooney and Phil on acoustic guitar and vocals.
They made their debut
in late October of 1970 in The Fillmore Room at The University
of Buffalo and then on November 4th, 1970 to a packed
house at Aliotta’s. The group played all original music
written by Dillon and Ralston.
They recorded an album’s
worth of that material in Rochester, at PCI Studios with
a young engineer named Mick Guzauski. Mick had just recorded
the live album “Friends & Love” for Chuck Mangione.
This association with Guzauski would soon lead Swist down
the road to becoming a Grammy Award winning recording
engineer for his work with Mangione and Spyro Gyra.
In the fall of 1971
with tapes in hand, management took them out to Los Angeles
where they showcased at “Gazzari’s”, “The Rag Doll” and
performed at the “Love In’s” at Griffith Park.
1972,
now back in Buffalo, Phil started doing solo gigs on Sunday
afternoons, first at “Granny Goodness” (formerly Aliotta’s),
then “Mister Goodbar” (in between fires) and then “Binky
Browns.”
With all the members
of “Flash” except Dean Mooney back in Buffalo, and Larry
Swist now pursuing his engineering career at Jerry Meyers’
“Act One Studios” a four piece version of Flash was born
with Phil on piano and vocals. He and Ralston wrote some
new material and the band revamped some of the old. But
soon the west coast called and Ralston answered. It wasn’t
long before Jimmy got the gig as Tina Turner’s guitar
player. He held that position for almost 30 years.
In
1973-74 the “Dillon McMatyus Quartet” was formed. With
Phil on acoustic guitar and vocals, his brother Mark Dillon
on Congas, old friends Gary Matyus on acoustic piano and
Mick Novitz on bass guitar they played an eclectic mix
of Dillon’s originals and great covers in a then undefined
format now referred to as “unplugged”. They also taped
a WNED –17-television program and were regulars at “The
Library” on Baily Ave. and “Casey’s” on Hertel Ave.
It
was during this time that he began subbing regularly with
Debbie Ash and Michael Campagna. This continued as Michael
and Debbie took up the Monday night spot at “The Bona
Vista” with Polla Milligan and led to the meeting of Phil,
Polla and John Brady. When Ash & Campagna left for
L.A. they turned over Monday nights to Milligan, Dillon
& Brady. For a while, Dillon McMatyus served as the
rhythm section for Phil, John & Polla but eventually
Polla dropped out and the rhythm section disbanded.
Now
it was Dillon & Brady.
For three years they
packed them in on Mondays at “The Bona Vista” with various
rhythm sections that included players like Jeremy Wall,
Jay Beckenstein, Tommy Walsh and Jimmy Calire, Thursdays
at “The Central Park Grill” with Phil & John as a
duo, and in time Wednesdays at the original “Tralfamadore”
and Saturdays at “Quincy’s”on Forest Ave. with the Dillon
& Brady Band which featured first, Pete Vitale then
Duffy Fornes on drums, Carl Cedar on bass and Gerardo
Velez on percussion. This was a formidable band.
As a duo or with the
band, they raised the bar for original acoustic music
in Buffalo and topped it off by recording an album of
their songs at PCI Studios in Rochester, which featured
Gary Mallaber as producer and drummer, Harvey Brooks on
bass, Jay Beckenstein, Jeremy Wall and Bobby Militello.
Of course it was recorded by Larry Swist and mixed by
Larry and Mick Guzauski.
After
the break up of Dillon & Brady in 1977, The Phil Dillon
Band was formed with Andy Rapillo, Ralph Parker, Phil
Youkim and Larry Eason. This was a great band but short
lived and eventually led Phil to move to Rochester and
join the band “Backstreet”.
The
80’s found Phil back in Buffalo working solo gigs at “The
Scotch & Sirloin”, “Bourbon Street Cafe” “Rosie’s”
and “Nietzches” as well as stints with “Junction West”
and “The Lance Diamond Band”. He was also considered an
honorary member of “The Thirds”
In
1985, at the urging of Tony Marfione at “The Cafe Casablanca”,
the “The Shoo Bops” were formed. An a’capella /Doo Wop
band with Phil, Willie Schoellkopf, Sheila Carlson and
a drum machine. They worked regularly at the Casablanca,
as well as concerts like “One M&T Plaza”, “Shakespeare
In The Park” “Taste of Buffalo” and shot a very hip hour
long T.V. special for Jones Intercable in Lockport at
“The Taylor Theatre” in the Keenan Center.
This
was also a time when Phil began putting together a tiny
home studio in his basement. With a 4-Track cassette,
drum machine, sampler, effects unit, and a renewed energy
to write again, he set out on the path that he continues
to travel today. However, the studio’s a little bigger
these days.
1990
would mark the last Buffalo band that Phil would play
with. “The Saints”
This was a band of Buffalo dignitaries. Nick DiStefano
on drums/percussion and vocals, Bruce Brucato on guitar,
Jim Brucato on bass guitar and vocals, Howard Wilson on
drums and Phil on keyboards/guitar and vocals.
This band had 3 strong
songwriters and lead singers in Phil, Jim and Nick; great
cover songs by “The Meters”, “The Neville Brothers” and
John Hiatt, and a nasty rhythm section. This was one of
Phil’s favorite bands.
He
also had a brief foray into the world of Buffalo theatre
when he appeared in a production of “Pump Boys & Dinettes”
as “Eddie” at the Upstage Theater. The show starred Robert
“Ernie” Insana, Michael Hake and Dave Keller
Now
living in Nashville since 1994, he writes songs, plays
guitar, sings, engineers and produces recording sessions
as well as running his studio and publishing company Nickel
City Music.
In
1996 his song “Now That We’re Not a Family” was recorded
by Capitol Records artist Lisa Brokop. This was on her
self-titled album, which was her second release for the
label.
In
1999 he produced and recorded the critically acclaimed
“Ain’t No Stranger” CD by former “Sea Level” guitarist
Jimmy Nalls. This CD features appearances by Chuck Leavell,
Wayne Jackson, Mike Henderson, Jack Pearson, Lee Roy Parnell,
and T. Graham Brown. It was nominated for Best Blues Album
by The Nashville Music Awards (The Nammys) and also The
Music City Blues Society.
He and Nalls also
teamed up to produce 2 albums for Rick Moore & The
Mr. Lucky Band.
With
Nashville luminary Harry Stinson, Phil co-produced the
release “I’d Like To Be The Man.” by singer/songwriter
Michael McGrew. The two also produced the bluegrass band
“Ducktown Station” and solo artist Shay Sparks.
In
2002 he worked with legendary Nashville “A” Team bass
player Bob Moore on a big band project that saw the likes
of Boots Randolph, Bill Purcell, Kenny Malone and Ranger
Doug Green of “Riders In The Sky”.
Phil
has had his songs recorded by Lisa Brokop, Jimmy Nalls,
T. Graham Brown, Rick Moore, Michael McGrew, Billy McEwen,
Joe Head, Doug Yeomans, Willie Haddath, Dave Duncan, Danny
Mack and Yvonne Schmidt.
His song “Ain’t No
Stranger To The Blues” co-written with Dave Duncan and
Jimmy Nalls was used in the feature film “L.A. Blues”
starring Anthony Michael Hall.
He
has been playing guitar and singing with T. Graham Brown
since March of 2003 with appearances at “The Grand Ole
Opry”, “The Ryman Auditorium”, “The Country Music Hall
of Fame”, “ Opry Live” on GAC, “The Wildhorse Saloon”,
“The Bluebird Cafe”, “The Trap”, The CMA Music Festival
(Fan Fair,) “GAC Classic” with Bill Cody, “The House Foundation”
with Gerry House, “The Bill Cody Show / WSM Radio” and
“Tennessee Mornings” with Charlie Chase and Kelly Sutton.
As
a performer he has shared the bill with Joe Cocker, Bonnie
Raitt, Chicago, John Prine, Mose Allison, Jim Messina,
Richard Thompson, Tuck & Patti, Pure Prairie League,
NRBQ, Diane Schurr, Vince Gill, Deborah Allen, Jimmy Hall,
Jimmy Dickens, Jesse Colin Young, Chalee Tennison, David
Ball, Livingston Taylor, David Bromberg, Tommy Chong,
Father Quido Sarducci and many more.
As
a Jingle singer, writer and producer, he has done spots
for Fisher Price, The United Way, Xerox, Borders, AM&A’s,
Topps, Mighty Taco, Kissing Bridge, McKinley Mall, Summit
Park Mall, Mr. Oil Change, Island Pools and The Buffalo
Destroyers.
In 2004 he began work
on Buffalo blues man John Riggi’s solo project and in
2005 he recorded and co-produced Doug Yeomans’ critically
acclaimed “Down To The Roots” CD that features Harry Stinson,
Ronnie McCoury and Mike Henderson.
In
2006 he recorded and co-produced T. Graham Brown’s latest
album “The Present” for Aspirion and Joy Records, with
former Buffalonian and Hall of Fame member Mike Caputy.
In
January of 2006 he began work on Willie Haddath’s solo
endeavor which not only shows off Willie’s blistering
guitar work but also features vocal appearances by former
“Wet Willie”, “The Nighthawks, and Jeff Beck front man,
Jimmy Hall, former Allman Brother, Johnny Neel, and blue
eyed soul man, T. Graham Brown.
