By Cece M. Scott cecescott.comMusical powerhouse, and life-long student (as he claims), Gino Vannelli has embraced a career that has taken him through many transitions – from sexy, to spiritual, to settled within. A Montreal native, who now lives in Oregon, Vannelli says that his childhood was entangled in confusion around culture and origins. "There was no confusion about one thing, however, and that was music," says Vannelli. "It was either great or not. You were either doing Beethoven or Mozart, Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald, or you were not in. My family had extremely high-brow taste as far as music was concerned."
(Left) Promotion for Gist of the Gemini,1976; (Right) Advertisement promoting Pauper in Paradise tour, 1977
Following his spiritual and soulful evolution, Vannelli's thoughtful perspectives can be heard in the lyrics on his 20th album – the 2019 CD, Wilderness Road. In the song, Yet Something Beautiful, taps into his spiritual appreciation and admiration as it relates to life's challenges, as well as life's goodness. In the song, a woman is pushing a man in a wheelchair into a cafe. "The man looked like he might have Parkinson's," says Vannelli. "But the woman, straight-back and persevering, is speaking to him as if he is the man she always knew."After 46 years, 20 albums and 20 million records sold worldwide, Vannelli is still exploring his purpose, which is, intrinsically, music. "I have 50 songs waiting to come out, including an opera libretto," says Vannelli. "The garden in each of us is finite in terms of bodily health. But our garden of thought, as long as you are healthy and keep planting seeds, is ongoing – never ending."
