The James Damiano Story http://jamesdamiano.yolasite.

com/

Nothin Left To Say

James Damiano and the Freedom of Speech Band

The Official Website of James Damiano

&

The Freedom of Speech Band

The artist never stops seeking

For what he knows
He'll never find

Uslawjournal@gmail.com

Welcome to our website thank you for visiting

Biography

James Damiano:

A skillful master of lyrics and melody, worked with Bob Dylan and Dylan’s organization from 79 to 92. Best known for the melody
line and lyrical hook of Bob Dylan’s Grammy nominated “Dignity”.

In 1979 James originally from Freehold New Jersey drew the attention of the renowned CBS record producer John Hammond Sr.
discoverer of , Duke Ellington, Areatha Franklin, George Benson, Count Basie, Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pete Seeger,
Charlie Christian, Billy Holiday and Bruce Springsteen.

In the early 80's James auditioned for Mr. Hammond. The song below was given to Mr. Hammond to read at the audition, It was
titled "Dignity".

I've got a plush A frame

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Overlooking the Ocean

With a fireplace to

keep us warm

When it's cold

Cathedral ceilings

For romantic evenings

And lights that turn down low

In the garage there's a brand new

silver blue porche

It's a 911- E

And all these luxuries

Can be yours for a while honey

If you just say yes to me

Just say yes to me honey

Just say yes to me

Just say yes to me honey

And give up your dignity

I like playing golf racquetball and tennis

And I bet on all the sports

And I'm part owner

Of a nice little cottage

Lodged up

At a ski resort

My boats docked down

At Little Creek Marina

I just got a set of new sail

On warm summer nights

we'll sail out on the bay

And watch falling stars make trails

It's a good life when the money's right

You can satisfy your curiosity

And all you have to do honey

Is just say yes to me

Just say yes to me honey

Just say yes to me

Just say yes to me honey

And give up your integrity

My bank accounts bigger

Than the houses I own

Bigger than all three

Live in maids clean all day

To give us more time to be free

Well go out every night

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Where you can show off all your new clothes

And expensive jewelry

And all you have to do honey is

Just say yes to me

Just say yes to me honey

Just say yes to me

Just say yes to me honey

And give up your

Dignity

James watched as Mr. Hammond silently read "Dignity" When Mr. Hammond finished reading the song he alarmingly looked up and asked James
"You're a college graduate ?" James answered "No" and suddenly knew he was in with Mr. Hammond and CBS Records when he saw a sigh of relief
from Mr. Hammond.

"Nothing Left to Say" played by James for Mr. Hammond at the audition is the soundtrack for the video below.

Throughout the 80’s James continued working and recording with band members Jimmy and Joey Voltaggio under the name
“The Words”.

Jimmy Voltaggio, after a night of hanging out with Jaco Pastorius

Damiano’s first recording was a live studio cut with James on acoustic, Jimmy Voltaggio on electric guitar and Earnest Carter
from The E Street Band on drums. It was titled “Where Are You Jesus”, pure and simple straight up rock and roll. Voltaggio’s riffs
where electrifying and Earnest Carter’s drumming was relentless.

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Earnest Carter

The song stood out musically for it’s immense hard driving intensity. James and the band who were working with Stevie Ray
Vaughan’s producer and John Hammond’s assistant Mikie Harris, believed they delivered to CBS what they were looking for.
"Where Are You Jesus" is the soundtrack for the video below.

Mikie Harris is on the board of directors of The National Academy of Popular Music

Mikie and Mr. Hammond partook in the excitement with the band until Mikie decided to drop the bomb and said she “wanted to
stay away from what she considered to be religious songs” even though no one who has ever heard the song ever described it as
religious.

Relating to the on going moral and political issues in the world today “Where Are You Jesus” becomes stronger every second as an
evident and obvious chronicle regarding the confusion and greed of the world. Tested on the ears of Jaco Pastorius, Jaco loved the
song so much that he walked around The Village for three consecutive weeks fifteen hours a day with the earphones of a sony
walkman plastered to his head listening to “Where Are You Jesus”

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James lived with Jaco on Jones Street in the village "Pain In My Heart", another song on the album that

Jaco walked around the city listening to all the time is the soundtrack for the video below.

Time was of the essence, James was trying to utilize Earnest Carter’s extraordinary talents as best and as fast as he could knowing
Earnest Carter left Bruce Springsteen to go with David Sancious.

Managerial and finance concerns were an issue. Carter was still up for recording and the words were trying to put the production
deals together.

There was no telling where Boom (Earnest Carter) would end up. Finding a drummer like Boom was almost unheard of, he was
hardly replaceable. Carter eventually ended up working with Billy Squire, Melanie, Paul Butterfield and many others…

When Cater left for LA, Damiano then recruited Ingo Marte, (John Bonham’s understudy).

Ingo Playing with Bruce Springsteen

From there James went on to record “Bury me in New York City”. Ingo's drum tracks were to say the least Jon Bonham-ish maybe

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even historically unmatched you can decide. Carolyn Mass was kind enough to lend a hand on synthesizer, she brought sax player
Tommy LaBella of Talkin Heads who did a rippin sax track , James Damiano on vocals and acoustic guitar, Jimmy Voltggio
killed it on electric and Walter Yarorough smoked on bass.

Again another Damiano song stood out musically for it’s immense hard driving intensity. "Bury me in New York City" is the
soundtrack for the video below.

In the mid 80’s Damiano recruited Big Danny Gallagher to do dobro work on his songs. Danny brought in Mario Phillips on
electric. They recorded “Steel Guitars” originally titled “dignity”

Big Danny seen here with Bruce Springsteen was a great musician and very good friends with Bruce. Their friendship dates back
as far as before Bruce was signed to CBS Records.

Bruce was actually living with Danny at the time he was signed to Columbia Records by John Hammond Sr.

Big Danny Gallagher and Bruce Springsteen

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You can hear "Dignity " below by

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Damiano went on to record “My Cousin JoAnn” a bonafide monster of a rock and roll song which is the sound track for the video
below.

Other affiliataions Bob Solberg guitar (Buddy Miles of Jimi Hendrix) John Doores Sax (youngest person ever to be offered a seat
on the Tommy Dorsey Orchastra) Steve Gadd (Steele Dan), Peter Hartung (Peter Hartung Band) Gary Rottger piano & keys (Frank
Zappa & The Fat Boys) Brian Draigo Bass (Broccile Rabe Studios) Tim Freeman synth (Freeman Philly Records) and Jaco
Pastorius.

Someday maybe
You’ll be able
To tell
The greatest story
Say the greatest line
Give the greatest
Performance
Find the greatest
Find

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Link to the new CD Justice

http://jamesdamiano.yolasite.com/james-damiano-and-the-freedom-of-speech-band.php

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