Biography
Among the arena rock and early MTV era's most accomplished yet underrecognized guitarists was Neil Giraldo, Pat Benatar's longtime six-string player and spouse. Cleveland, Ohio, served as both his birthplace on December 29, 1955, and the setting for his childhood, during which he first grasped the instrument at age seven after his father insisted. Early exposure to acts such as the Yardbirds shaped his approach, and by fifteen he was already performing in bar bands, a handful of which put out little-known local singles. Mid-decade found him handling bass duties in a hometown outfit until a friend passed along word that Edgar Winter sought a bassist; the tip proved unfounded, yet the same contact noted Rick Derringer's search for a guitarist. An audition followed, and Giraldo secured the position at once, though Derringer reportedly grew wary of the newcomer's commanding stage presence and technical facility, resulting in a curtailed role on the sole album they recorded together, 1979's Guitars and Women, where Giraldo contributed primarily on piano.
Frustrated, the guitarist relocated to New York City and soon connected with Rick Newman, owner of the Catch a Rising Star club, whose introduction, along with a recommendation from producer Mike Chapman, led him to an emerging vocalist named Pat Benatar. Giraldo's incisive playing meshed seamlessly with her voice, and the ensemble coalesced rapidly. Successive hit albums—1979's In the Heat of the Night, 1980's Crimes of Passion, 1981's Precious Time, and 1982's Get Nervous—alongside singles such as "I Need a Lover," "Heartbreaker," "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," "Fire and Ice," and "Shadows of the Night" cemented Benatar's status as one of rock's foremost female singers in the early 1980s. Giraldo's behind-the-scenes contributions likewise expanded with each project, encompassing songwriting and production. The year 1982 proved pivotal both professionally and personally when the pair married in February.
Buoyed by his work alongside Benatar, Giraldo began supplying guitar to sessions for other artists, among them Rick Springfield's Working Class Dog and Kenny Loggins's High Adventure, while also producing John Waite's solo debut, Ignition. Although commercial momentum slowed by the late 1980s and early 1990s, Benatar and Giraldo maintained a steady schedule of releases and performances even as they raised a family. Beyond those joint endeavors, Giraldo wrote material for the Corrs ("Intimacy") and the Real McCoy ("Love Save Me") and produced albums for the Del-Lords and Kevin Raleigh. Into the new century he turned toward film scoring, contributing to Last Request and Nailed, formed the side project the Sicilians, and assisted his and Benatar's daughter Haley with a demo for her project GLO. Although studio recordings often restrained his guitar work, two archival live sets—Benatar's 8-15-80 and Derringer's Live at the Paradise Theater Boston, Massachusetts: July 7, 1978—offered clear showcases of his playing.
Giraldo maintained a balance between soundtrack assignments and ongoing tours with Benatar. In 2014 the duo embarked on the celebratory 35th Anniversary Tour, which carried into 2015, and a live CD/DVD document of the trek appeared that same year.
Frustrated, the guitarist relocated to New York City and soon connected with Rick Newman, owner of the Catch a Rising Star club, whose introduction, along with a recommendation from producer Mike Chapman, led him to an emerging vocalist named Pat Benatar. Giraldo's incisive playing meshed seamlessly with her voice, and the ensemble coalesced rapidly. Successive hit albums—1979's In the Heat of the Night, 1980's Crimes of Passion, 1981's Precious Time, and 1982's Get Nervous—alongside singles such as "I Need a Lover," "Heartbreaker," "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," "Fire and Ice," and "Shadows of the Night" cemented Benatar's status as one of rock's foremost female singers in the early 1980s. Giraldo's behind-the-scenes contributions likewise expanded with each project, encompassing songwriting and production. The year 1982 proved pivotal both professionally and personally when the pair married in February.
Buoyed by his work alongside Benatar, Giraldo began supplying guitar to sessions for other artists, among them Rick Springfield's Working Class Dog and Kenny Loggins's High Adventure, while also producing John Waite's solo debut, Ignition. Although commercial momentum slowed by the late 1980s and early 1990s, Benatar and Giraldo maintained a steady schedule of releases and performances even as they raised a family. Beyond those joint endeavors, Giraldo wrote material for the Corrs ("Intimacy") and the Real McCoy ("Love Save Me") and produced albums for the Del-Lords and Kevin Raleigh. Into the new century he turned toward film scoring, contributing to Last Request and Nailed, formed the side project the Sicilians, and assisted his and Benatar's daughter Haley with a demo for her project GLO. Although studio recordings often restrained his guitar work, two archival live sets—Benatar's 8-15-80 and Derringer's Live at the Paradise Theater Boston, Massachusetts: July 7, 1978—offered clear showcases of his playing.
Giraldo maintained a balance between soundtrack assignments and ongoing tours with Benatar. In 2014 the duo embarked on the celebratory 35th Anniversary Tour, which carried into 2015, and a live CD/DVD document of the trek appeared that same year.
Live
