Anthony Gargiula, better known as Anthony G from New York, is most likely best known for his many singing engagements at major sporting events opening with the US National Anthem. Some of his appearances include The Ellen Show, Carnegie Hall, The Today Show, not to mention the Belmont Horse Race in 2008. Anthony is both a naturally talented singer and an amazing personality.
Anthony just finished his debut CD called Finally Done with Grammy Award winning writer and producer, Bradley Spalter. The album has 10 original songs, including the title track that AG wrote about some experiences he had with bullying in school. Anthony hopes that, through his words and music, he can send a positive message to youngsters all over the world about being yourself, not worrying about what others think, and following your dreams.
In July 2010, Anthony was asked to sing the National Anthem at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction in Cooperstown, NY. It was a thrill to be on the same stage with so many super stars of baseball. This summer Anthony also sang at Shriners Hospital in St Louis, Missouri, and a huge festival in Decatur, Illinois and at a Minnesota Twins game.
At eleven years old, Anthony carried on a better conversation with me than many adults have with whom I have spoken. He is not only intelligent, but shows a confidence well beyond his young eleven years of age. Anthony has astounded me with every performance that I have witnessed over the past two years. I have followed him very closely and now have been privileged to meet him and his wonderful supporting father. It is with great pride I bring to this website the following exclusive interview with Anthony G.
Rivenmaster: Anthony, how are you today!
Anthony: Great how are you?
Rivenmaster: We’re so happy to have you with us today! I’m going to let you do a little formal introduction of yourself.
Anthony: Awesome! “Hi! I’m Anthony Gargiula and I’m eleven years old. I’ve been singing for six years, and it’s just my favorite thing to do! We have an album that is going to be on iTunes soon, called Finally Done. I write a lot of my own music, and I just really enjoy singing and playing piano.
Rivenmaster: Anthony, I’ve been watching your career for at least two years. I believe the first time I saw you, you were singing the National Anthem at the Belmont. I’ve seen every Ellen DeGeneres Show you appeared on and your interviewing of the American Idols in 2008. Please tell us a little about those experiences:
Anthony: Doing the American Idol interview was totally amazing! I was totally star-struck the whole time. I love American Idol; I’ve been watching it since I was about three. Being able to do that was just a totally amazing experience that Ellen set up for me!
Rivenmaster: After you appeared on Ellen, how did the fame affect your relationship with your friends at school?
Anthony: Well, actually a lot of my friends were very proud of me, and I loved that they felt that way because I just went back to being normal again. I was really glad to have friends that support me like that.
Rivenmaster: That’s good that you can be yourself and that you have such a good friendship base. Anthony, your new CD is almost ready to be launched and your new song Finally Done has some really unique lyrics that you have written. Can you tell us a little bit about what is behind the lyrics of that song?
Anthony: Once I changed schools in 4th Grade, I had a little bullying issue with other children. They were bullying me back in 4th grade. But you see I wrote Finally Done to overcome my issue through music and just to say, “I really have overcome that. I don’t care about it and I’m going to overpower it through music!”
Rivenmaster: Bullying has become a real issue in schools. I’m glad that you are using your music to help raise more awareness of this. We know your CD will be out soon do you have a tentative date for its release? And what can your fans do while they are waiting for the debut of your CD?
Anthony: Sorry. We do not have an exact release date for the CD yet but, in the meantime, you can visit my site where you will find little snippets of my songs and some short sneak peaks of my music videos for Finally Done and Game Over, which are two of the songs from my album. I hope that you can just do that until it comes out and it will be on iTunes soon and I can’t wait!
Rivenmaster: Alright so we will go to your domain site to hear those! What is your domain site again?
Anthony: http://www.singeranthonyg.com/
Rivenmaster: Ok!, that will just have to tide us over! I’m sure your parents have told you stories about you singing when you were very young but what is your first memory of really being able to sing?
Anthony: My first memory was when I was five when I entered a local Radio Disney singing contest at one of our local malls. I won that contest for my age group! I was so amazed by that because I didn’t know that I could sing that well!
Rivenmaster: Your family is very supportive to you helping you attend so many different places. Is their one particular event that stands out to you where you performed with your family in attendance?
Anthony: For The National Anthem, one thing I really enjoyed was The Belmont Stakes because we really had a fun time at the horse race. Also, the 2010 Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame induction, which was totally fun and we were amazed at the entire event.
Rivenmaster: Those are very large events it must be nerve-wracking! Do you get nervous at some of these major events?
Anthony: A few events that are huge like that I get a little nervous for, but not too nervous. Once I start singing it always goes away!
Rivenmaster: Who would you say your greatest influence in music has been? Has there been anyone you haven’t performed with yet you would like to perform with?
Anthony: A person that has really inspired me with her music is Demi Lovato. She wrote a song about her experiences of being bullied and has teamed up with various campaigns to help prevent bullying at school. So I really look up to her for that and she is just a very talented person as well!
Rivenmaster: This really sounds like an issue you’re going to take on. I’m proud of you for that! Anthony, outside of music do you have any other interests such a sports or hobbies that you enjoy?
Anthony: I love to play soccer! I have been playing since I was 3 or 4 years old. I also really like to draw and play piano.
Rivenmaster: That’s amazing you are very multi-talented! I was just wondering! Do you have any heroes in your life?
Anthony: Well, two of my very huge heroes are my two grandfathers. They’re very inspiring to me because they both are musical and both have inspired me my whole life. They’re still around, for which I am very grateful and they are very good people!
Rivenmaster: I can tell you have great family that is working with you Anthony, because you are a very personable young man. In fact the first time I saw you I could see that personality shining through!
Anthony: Thank you!
Rivenmaster: What would you say the pinnacle of your career has been so far?
Anthony: The pinnacle of my career so far is probably Carnegie Hall and being on The Ellen Show. Carnegie Hall was just so huge! I opened up for The Four Tops and The Temptations and sang God Bless America. On Ellen, I sang Signed Sealed Delivered the first time, Think by Aretha Franklin the second time. The third time I didn’t sing, but was her correspondent for the American Idol show, which was really fun. I was the youngest to ever sing at Carnegie Hall and being on Ellen was just a totally amazing experience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n4uxB9_gEc
Rivenmaster: I’m very excited about your new CD which is being released. Are you going to have signed copies available for your fans?
Anthony: Yes, we will definitely be doing that and they will be available on iTunes in the very near future!
Rivenmaster: Are all the songs on your new CD written by you?
Anthony: No! Actually only two of them were written by me. One of them is written by me and one of the producers and the other one was written by me and my brother.
Rivenmaster: Of those two songs written by you which one means the most to you and what message do you want to convey through that song?
Anthony: Well, Finally Done definitely means a lot to me because of being bullied in school. But a song called Background Tracks means a lot to me as well, because I wrote that with my brother. We write a lot of songs together but only one of them is on the album. The song called Across the Sky, which you’ll find on there, means a lot to me because it’s just a great song and I loved recording it and had totally a lot of fun.
Rivenmaster: I’m very excited to help you promote your CD and hope to send lots of traffic your way Anthony!
Anthony: Thank you!
Rivenmaster: It’s hard to think too far into the future, but where do you envision yourself in about 10 years? Do you plan to attend college?
Anthony: As well as my singing, I would love to be in pursuit of my acting career. Acting in movies and on television and singing on tours and stuff like that! For college — yes, definitely I would go to college. Whether I would have to do it online or with a private tutor, I would definitely, definitely do college!
Rivenmaster: Well, I’m glad to hear that you’re going to further your education. Anthony, if you had one dream that you desired to see fulfilled what would that fondest dream be?
Anthony: My fondest dream right now would probably be to go on tour and sing in different cities every night for different fans. I recently went to a Jonas Brothers and a Demi Lovato concert, and the way they were on stage just totally inspired me. They did a great job!
Rivenmaster: Yes. I saw a few of the pictures of you with The Jonas Brothers. What was that like meeting The Jonas Brother and talking with them?
Anthony: Well, actually I opened up for the Jonas Brothers twice a while ago, but that was actually my fourth time seeing them. They are really amazing people and it’s totally just insane when we meet them. Their just really great people! Their family really inspires my family as there are actually four brothers but my brother and I definitely look up to the four of them and it’s really cool!
Rivenmaster: Well, this has been fantastic Anthony and we will have to do this again right after you go on tour, right?
Anthony: Yes!!!!!!
Rivenmaster: I hear you have something very exciting coming up in about a week!
Anthony: Yes!!!!!! I will be singing The National Anthem at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Sylvania 300 on Sunday, September 19th and its going to be so much fun!
Rivenmaster: Wow! And that will be nationally televised too right?
Anthony: Yes, on ESPN and 38 Special will be there, as well, to entertain before the race. I hope I get an opportunity to meet them!
Rivenmaster: Anthony, I’m very happy we had this time together for The Skykid.com Radio. We invite you to continue to stay in touch and we’re going to look forward to seeing what happens in your career.
Anthony: Thank you so much!
Rivenmaster: Anthony, how can people find out more about you aside from Rivenmaster’s Place and here at Skykid’s site?
Anthony: You can visit: My Doman Site and please follow me on Facebook. My new MySpace site is now on line where you can find all my new tracks for my new CD and you can also follow me on Twitter! Whoohoo!
Anthony is now home in NY, waiting for the release of the CD and very excited to be singing The National Anthem at the Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for NASCAR on September 19th. There will be over 100,000 people in attendance and millions watching on ESPN. Aside from that, he is also performing at many local venues and trying to get ready for the start of Middle School.
Anthony G will only continue to surpass his previous performances and grow, both as a singer and a performer! This knowledge alone should be enough for you to become an instant fan. There is no stopping this amazingly gifted singing super star from becoming the biggest entertainer that the world has ever known since Frank Sinatra or Elvis. I guess what I’m trying to convey is that I will not be surprised at where his career carries him, but it’s a sure bet that it’s nothing but UP from here!
Just as I close this article I received word that there is more excitement in the Anthony G camp that will be released to us soon! So keep watching Rivenmaster’s Place for updates and be sure to visit Anthony by going to his website at www.singeranthonyg.com.
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Rivenmaster Place has become the global home to young unsigned treble singers, aspiring young actors and talented youth. Each week a youngster from various parts of the world is featured and sometimes introduced to the world for the first time! You will enjoy outstanding articles that are derived from speaking directly to the parent of the child and also personal interviews with the young celebrity. Many young people have been given even greater opportunity to expand their careers due to the dedication and effort of this site! For more information visit: Rivenmaster’s Place. Or write to: writemeone@hotmail.com