Bill Cuomo

Following his graduation from University of California at Los Angeles in 1972, Bill began with demo recordings in Los Angeles, earning a reputation as a very capable piano player and idea guy. He soon began branching into major records; arranging, writing, and eventually producing and engineering. First notable break came with Mac Davis in 1974, touring and doing Mac's show on NBC. Bill left Mac in late 1975 to join Bonaroo, a band signed to Warner Brothers and managed by the Doobie Brothers' manager Bruce Cohn. Bill had his first radio hit with his song, "Sally Ann". The "big breakthrough"came with long time friend and session co-worker, Kim Carnes. Following his original classical intro on "More Love", he created the memorable arrangement and synth intro riff on "Bette Davis Eyes" which went on to be #1 for 9 weeks, #1 in 26 countries, and selling fourteen million singles, winning the Grammy for Record of The Year in 1981. That same year he arranged and played on Smokey Robinson's #1 record, "Being With You". He was then asked by Beatles' producer George Martin to fly to Montserrat and record synthesizer overdubs on Little River Band's "Time Exposure" LP. He began studio work beginning with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Johnny and Donnie Van Zant after moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 1989. He went on to record with such acts as Mark Knopfler ("Golden Heart") Alabama (4 albums, including piano on "Forever is as Far as I'll Go"), Faith Hill (first 2 CD's), Trace Adkins, Kathy Mattea ("Walking Away a Winner" CD-all keyboards), John Berry, Restless Heart, John Michael Montgomery, and Steve Wariner's "Burnin' The Roadhouse Down" CD. Bill has also written, recorded and produced a number of gospel/pop-Christian hits. He co-wrote #1 hits for Kathy Troccoli, ("Sounds Of Heaven" & "Love One Another") Larnelle Harris, and Pam Thum. Both Larnelle's CD's were Grammy nominees ("Beyond All The Limits" '94, and "Unbelievable Love" '95). He received a Dove award for the latter, awarded "Inspirational Album of the Year". He was awarded American Songwriter Magazine "Christian Producer of the Year" in 1995. He has also worked closely with Yochanan Marcellino at Galilee Of The Nations Music/Provident, arranging and recording many Christian hits for artists such as Joel Chernoff. Zamir Levov and Ted Pearce. He currently works in a Spring Hill Tennessee facility, spending his time producing, writing, playing live and engineering.