Tony Arata

Anthony Michael Arata came into the world on 10 October 1957 in Savannah, Georgia, USA. Journalism formed the subject of his degree, yet music claimed his foremost attention. While attending university he performed on guitar and provided vocals in several different groups. Professional work started in 1975 when he joined a bluegrass band, after which he spent 1978–82 composing and singing original material with Handpicked. Don Tolle’s Noble Vision label placed him under a songwriting agreement, leading Jim Glaser to record several of his pieces that reached the charts as ‘The Man In The Mirror’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Fool Tonight’. Arata secured his own modest successes with the 1984 single ‘Come On Home’ and the 1985 release ‘Sure Thing’, and he also issued an album. Still bound to Tolle, he moved to Nashville in the late 1980s. Garth Brooks took ‘The Dance’ to number one in 1990; the track collected multiple honors, among them Song Of The Year in 1991, and prompted Brooks to record Arata’s ‘Same Old Story’ and ‘Face To Face’. Additional performers soon embraced his songs, producing further cuts that included ‘Part Of Me’ by Suzy Bogguss, ‘I Used To Worry’ by Delbert McClinton, ‘Slower’ by Dan Seals, ‘Standing By The River’ by the Oak Ridge Boys, and ‘One Of My Reasons’ by David Slater. Arata also oversees business interests and edits a trade publication.