The latest project undertaken by a three-time Guitarist of the Year whose riffs have reverberated from Wembley Stadium to World Wrestling Entertainment is so far off base, you wouldn’t categorize it as “the last thing you’d expect” because it wouldn’t even land on the radar of what many would foresee from him.
But Mark Tremonti, guitarist of Alter Bridge and Creed, and lead vocalist/guitarist of solo band Tremonti that has produced five albums in the past 10 years, isn’t one to live life with regrets. Tremonti, who was honored by “Guitar World” as Guitarist of the Decade and named the fourth greatest heavy metal guitarist ever by “Total Guitar” magazine, is not interested in saying “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve” 20 years from now.
So Tremonti found something to more than tide himself, and fans, over prior to the Oct. 14 release of Alter Bridge’s forthcoming album Pawns & Kings. And the project is accompanied by a special purpose that hits close to home for him.
Tremonti put on a suit and tie, rounded up members of Frank Sinatra’s bluegrass popular singing band, and dropped Tremonti Sings Sinatra on May 27. It’s a complete album of Tremonti performing 14 of Sinatra’s classics — hits such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “My Way” plus deep cuts like “Luck Be A Lady” — while teaming with an initiative called Take A Chance For Charity. All proceeds of the album’s sales benefit the National Down Syndrome Society after Tremonti and his wife discovered that their newborn daughter Stella was afflicted with Down Syndrome and needed open heart surgery, to boot, at 11 months.
In the trailer below, Tremonti discusses how the project came together following the approval of the Sinatra Estate. You can also watch a pair of his new videos below, then click on the SoundCloud widget at the bottom to hear our entire exclusive 1-on-1 conversation from Wednesday.
“Mark’s take on Sinatra is nothing short of uncanny,” Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, whose solo band features Alter Bridge vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy on lead vocals, said in a press release. “I could never have expected one of my fav metal guitarists to do such faithful renditions of Sinatra classics. Not only instrumentally, but vocally! And these recordings are for a cause near and dear to my heart; I was very close to an uncle who had Down Syndrome when I was growing up. I fully appreciate and support Mark’s commitment to NDSS.”
The likable and talented musician discusses the album in greater detail with ATM. Tremonti also names some of the celebrities he’s challenging to follow in his out-of-my-comfort-zone footsteps with Take A Chance For Charity, reveals which Sinatra tunes were his favorite and most challenging to record, whether he’ll be able to bring the act on the road and in particular to the Alamo City, and Tremonti also offers up a compliment of a lifetime he received from one of metal’s all-time greats.
But as is the case with all ATM interviews, there’s more to the conversation than meets the eye.
Click. Read. Watch. Listen. Learn. Enjoy.
