What's your favorite Christmas memory? Getting an electric guitar on my eighth Christmas! I will never forget that morning. My parents had me open a small box first, it was a Sears Teisco guitar amp. I wasn't sure what it was, then they gave me a bigger long box that was a Teisco electric guitar!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner?
First and foremost having as many family members around the table that can be together! Sometimes circumstance doesn't allow for everyone to be together, especially as families grow and others pass on. Then, of course, all of the amazing food! From the snacking before the meal (everyone does right?), and the main course to the pie!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album?
I do! It's a classic compilation, Dean Martin, Making Spirits Bright! Actually anything Christmas music by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra!
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season?
We like to binge watch some classics and some new favorites, It's A Wonderful Life, Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, Jim Carrey's The Grinch, Jingle All The Way (Shot in my home cities Minneapolis & St. Paul!) and a new favorite of mine is Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol! Then, of course, we have a few rounds of board games throughout the Christmas break!
Whats been your favorite album of 2019?
Luke Combs, What You See Is What You Get. Luke is just killing it with his modern country style!
What are your hopes for 2020? Any exciting plans?
My hope for 2020 is to continue to build and grow the Instruments For Education organization that I started in 2018. The organization collects instruments via donations from my Nashville musical peers and we in-turn offer them to Nashville area schools. Any teacher that makes a request for a guitar, keyboard or other instruments we personally deliver them to the schools. Our goal is to give kids the opportunity to explore and check out these instruments and hopefully inspire them to want to learn to play. Many teachers are musicians and songwriters as well and they use these instruments to teach kids lessons with. It's really an amazing thing to be a part of! www.instrumentsforeducation.org
My personal plans are to continue to write songs put out more of my own music and get the big cut. In the last few years I have been putting out some of my favorite songs that I have written on CD compilations called Troy Castellano, Sketches From My Blue Heaven Studio. Volume 1 was released in 2017 and I just release volume 2! My music can be purchased directly from me here https://squareup.com/store/troycastellano/
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving?
My favorite Christmas cocktail is Bailey's Irish Creme and Coffee topped with a little whipped cream of course!
1 Cup of your favorite strong brewed coffee 1.5 oz of Bailey's Irish Creme Liqueur Topped a generous amount of whipped cream A bonus ingredient is a chilly snowfall outside your window!
About Troy Castellano:
Troy Castellano’s musical career started in his home state of Minnesota where he wrote songs for and played in original bands spanning many genres. He was on Tommy Lee's (Motley Crue) 2010 Methods of Mayhem, winner of several area battle of the bands, country showdowns, and songwriter's competitions, played Midway Stadium with Cheap Trick and Styx in St. Paul Minnesota, and that was just the beginning. Upon receiving advice from a prominent entertainment attorney, which proved to be life-changing, Castellano decided to dedicate his time, as he puts it, “to create instead of imitate" and relocate his family to Music City. A true and extremely prolific songwriter, Castellano enjoys the process of reating music. Whether it's songwriting, singing, playing or producing, he loves every aspect of making music and it shows. In his songs, he truly makes every word count. Castellano is also an accomplished jingle writer. Since moving to Nashville, he has had a number of independent cuts, major holds, and hosts regular songwriter rounds at some of Nashville's most prominent venues including The Bluebird Cafe The Listening Room Cafe, 6th and
Peabody, The Local, Tin Roof, and has played many of the industry's most popular songwriter's festivals including Muscle Shoals Songwriter's Festival, Westhaven Porchfest, Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival, etc. He has also recently made appearances on 650 AM WSM's Nashville Today with Devon O’Day, WSMV’s Today in Nashville, NashFM’s The Ty Bentli Show – Ten Minute Tune and more. Castellano also has to his credit music placements on multiple TV shows on CMT, MTV, TLC, Discovery, CW, Spike, Fox, and
has already enjoyed success with many independent cuts including “Grateful,” recorded by multi-award winning Christian artist, Chris Golden (formerly with The Oak Ridge Boys band), which reached #1 across 4 National Inspirational charts earlier this year. When he is not writing or performing, Castellano can be found in his small home studio, My Blue Heaven Studio, where he produces everything from competitive songwriter demos to full singles for artists and writers. The music he creates out of his studio has been used on TV shows,
been on hold with major recording artists as well as charted singles for rising artists. Castellano also created and produces a YouTube show from his studio, Project 52, where he performs songs with his co-writers and interviews them about the song. With this setup, Castellano is also able to produce “live performance" videos for artists. Click here to see his show. You can find out more about My Blue Heaven here.
For more information on Instruments for Education, visit the website or socials. You can learn more about Troy Castellano here.
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