Mike Corrado

A visit home
January 17,2008
TIMMI TOLER
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Nearly two years ago, Mike Corrado left for Kansas City. Duty called and the Marine, who had recently returned from Iraq, took his station as the Inspector-Instructor and Commanding Officer for Headquarters Company, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division.

Since then, he's been on CNN, he'll be on an upcoming episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," he's got a song featured on a new television series, he's won first place for a moving music video, he took the stage in Chicago for wounded heroes and he's got a new CD and a new baby on the way.

But on Sunday, he's coming "home" to wrap up work on his new CD and to perform a couple of shows.

"I am so excited. This will be the first time I have been back since I moved," said Corrado. "I have been receiving a lot of e-mails and requests to come back and do some N.C. shows. I can't wait to see all my friends and to do the shows in Wilmington and Emerald Isle."

Corrado got his start along the shores of Emerald Isle and Topsail Beach in the early '90s. The Citadel graduate formed a band out of other musical Marines stationed with him at Camp Lejeune. Their sound blended jazz, funk and soul with down-to-earth lyrics and quickly netted a fan base.

For most of that decade, the band packed clubs and got airplay on local radio stations (back when local radio stations actually played local music). The band released several CDs and stayed booked with nearly 250 shows a year.

But after 2000, commitments to the Marine Corps, the tragic events of 9/11 and the War in Iraq took the musicians their separate ways.

Corrado kept writing and working on projects, penning "My Watch Tonight" not long after 9/11. The song is revered among military service members. CNN featured the song on their "I-Report: Caught on Camera" year-end special which included interviews, pictures and videos from Iraq. Corrado also took first place for famecast.com's national video competition for the song which featured a slideshow video.

And it is a staple when Corrado performs for those who know what it's like to wear the uniform. He recently played a benefit concert for the Wounded Heroes Fund in Chicago for a dozen wounded service members from Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

"Motorola flew these guys ... to Chicago on their leer jet. They were treated like kings for a week, as they should be," said Corrado. "It especially hit home ... we had many friends and comrades in common."

Corrado's new CD "Start Saving Me" is set to drop this spring. The title track is about military service members and their families. "They are the ones being strong, keeping the home fires burning and keeping it all together while loved ones are away," said Corrado. He considers it the companion piece to "My Watch" which was written for those in uniform. "Saving Me" is for those who love the ones wearing the uniform. "While their hero is off saving the world, at the end of the day or the end of the deployment, they could use a little saving too," said Corrado.

After all, Corrado knows both sides. Kate, his wife of six years is an Air Force flight medic. They welcomed daughter Olivia three years ago and have a new addition on the way. Corrado understands the difficulty of balancing the commitment to family and military - particularly during deployments. The new CD will also feature "I Still Believe," a song he wrote about the struggles of keeping a relationship together.

"Of all the songs on the CD, this is the only one I actually wrote while deployed to Iraq. I actually recorded the first demo in a building used as surge morgue on Camp Fallujah. It was a quiet place with decent acoustics which, thankfully, remained empty the entire year I was deployed," said Corrado.

He'll put final touches on the CD in studios in Wilmington and, in between, play The Whiskey at 10 p.m. in Wilmington Saturday and The Emerald Club at 9 p.m. in Emerald Isle Sunday.

Joining Corrado will be his longtime friend and guitar player Tommy Brothers, frontman for the band Machine Gun whose drummer John Wade and bassist John White both appear on Corrado's new CD.

"I am particularly pumped about the Emerald Isle show. We got our start in Topsail and Emerald Isle so it will be great to go back and see everyone," said Corrado, noting that keyboardist Adrian Duke will be also be onstage for the Sunday show which they will record live.

"Just for fun, we'll be doing a live recording, possibly for release later this year, we'll see. Last time we played the Emerald Club, it was a blast and everyone was there," said Corrado.

The new television series "Whittaker Bay," filmed in Wilmington, will feature Corrado's signature tune "Damn" recorded early in his career in 1998 and revised for Corrado's last CD - his first solo project - "Falling Awake" released in 2005. The show, which airs on WGN Superstation, will feature the song on its Jan. 26 episode.

And on Feb. 10, Corrado will appear on an episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The show, hosted by Ty Pennington, came to Kansas City and built a home for a staff sergeant who is now medically retired due to injuries sustained in Iraq.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the show air. It was an amazing process what the (show's) folks did," said Corrado. "(It) will be very moving, that's all I can say."

In addition to all of the above, Corrado is also writing and recording for TV and film projects. He's excited about getting the new CD out and he'll showcase some of the new material at his dates around the area.

Coming home to North Carolina is good he said, but being home is better. That, and continuing to explore music.

"My daughter is 3 now and my wife and I have another ... due in April. With all the instruments I have around, I think we'll start a band," Corrado said. "The world needs a new Partridge Family."


Contact Timmi Toler at 910-219-8458 or ttoler@freedomenc.com.




Want to go? Mike Corrado will be performing at The Whiskey, located at 1 South Front St. in Wilmington, on Saturday at 10 p.m. For more info, call 910-763-3088. He will also perform at The Emerald Club, located at 8102 Emerald Drive in Emerald Isle, on Sunday at 9 p.m. For more info, call 252-354-2929. Find more information about Mike Corrado at http://www.mikecorrado.com and http://www.myspace.com/mikecorrado - Max Magazine

To say Mike Corrado is ready for whatever the music industry might throw at him might be the understatement of the century.

That's because Corrado, an up-and-coming singer, songwriter, and musician, has had been experiencing a much tougher life since he first picked up a guitar in 1992.

"I spent March 2005 to March 2006 in Fallujah, Iraq," said Corrado, a Major in the United States Marine Corps and a veteran of several tours of duty. "I can't say it was a great experience, but it was an experience. It was something I'll always remember, to be right there alongside your Marines."

Corrado returned to the U.S. in time to be awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in connection with the support of combat operations in Iraq.

And a few months later he was back in the music game, honing his songcraft with a nine-piece band at the famous CenterStaging facility in Burbank, Calif., where the day's work was filmed in high-definition for broadcast on rehearsals.com.

"What I hope people get from watching rehearsals.com is, No. 1, to see what an incredible setup this is and what a great forum this is for people to sit down and watch people play or watch people work out a part, or work out a vocal harmony or work out a bass line, or whatever," Corrado said.

"There's a lot of work in it, and it's give and take -- that language between musicians that just makes it shine. And rehearsals.com is gonna give them that inside scoop to do that, to look at that, and I think that's just genius."

Corrado fans find genius in the songs of the North Carolina native and graduate of The Citadel, particularly the military-themed ballad "On My Watch," the first single from his latest release, Falling Awake.

The song details what Marines and soldiers go through, from boot camp to combat, and was completed with the help of the vocals of Edwin McCain, a good friend of Corrado's.

"On My Watch," written when Corrado became incensed with anger and heartbreak after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, got solid radio play in the South and also affected the lives of droves of armed forces personnel.

He said the song helps explain what life is like for those serving their country abroad and why they do what they do.

"We're here, we're taking care of business -- get back to your life, you know?" Corrado said. "That's kind of what it's about. You're called upon to do it, you do it.

"And it struck a chord with people and if it can heal people, even just a little, that's it. Success."

Corrado was deployed to Fallujah a week after the song came out, but "On My Watch" was a success, inspiring countless e-mails from people touched by its message. Corrado read those messages during his time in Iraq.

"It was truly inspiring, and just re-emphasized the healing power of music," he said.

The power of music was alive and well during Corrado's rehearsals.com session.

"There's a little bit of everything in there," Corrado said. "I like to throw different flavors of gospel and jazz and rock and funk and salsa and, you know, a little bit of everything.

"So it depends on what we're in the mood for and where we are and what we do with it. It kind of bounces around."

Corrado and his band bounced around in Burbank, playing "On My Watch," one of his earliest songs, "Magic," and "Stick Around," which was inspired by his wife and infant child.

After all he's been through, Corrado said there's nothing quite like the feeling of true musical collaboration.

"Man, when it's workin', it is magic," he said. "It's awesome. It's addictive. It's that thing that makes you keep coming back. It's the thing that makes you want to get better and better.

"You just have this energy and this vibe flowing around the room, and everybody's feeling good." - Rehearsals.Com

They tried to tell Ryan Seacrest about their idol, but apparently he wouldn't listen.

Now they're hoping Oprah Winfrey will.

Greg Brady, Crystal Legends and Gonzo, members of 96.3/103.7 The Hot FM's morning show, based in New Bern, started the "Play It Forward" campaign last week. Through a combined effort with listeners, the DJs are hoping to get Mike Corrado's song "On My Watch Tonight" into the hands of someone with enough clout to give the song the national attention they feel it deserves.

"We get requests for it constantly," said Brady, who's been at the station for more than 10 years. "Every time we spin the song, we get calls from listeners who want to know more about it."

Corrado, a Marine Corps major currently serving in Fallujah, has been writing and recording music for more than 10 years with his group, The Mike Corrado Band. His music has been featured on TV shows - most recently on CBS' "Joan of Arcadia" - he's played sold-out venues at House of Blues, and he's shared the stage with mainstream favorites Train, Vertical Horizon and Edwin McCain.

The Citadel graduate joined the Marines in 1992, serving with its reserve force. After Sept. 11, Corrado penned "My Watch," a heartfelt ballad of a Marine's journey from boot camp to the front lines: "Don't worry about me/ I'll be all right/Just care for your children and sleep tight/I'll keep you safe on my watch tonight â?¦"

Called up for duty four years ago, Corrado is the company commander of Headquarters and Service Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force. His wife, Kate, an Air Force flight medic, and their 6-month-old daughter live in Jacksonville.

Corrado released his latest CD, "Falling Awake," just before he deployed to Iraq in January. The CD contains "My Watch" with guest vocals by McCain, and, Brady says, everything needed for a No. 1 hit.

Hey, Seacrest

"When we first started playing it, it went right to No. 1 and stayed there for about three weeks," said Brady. "Mike is a real artist, and this song has the perfect ingredients - everything a hit needs."

It was a call from a listener that inspired the "Play It Forward" movement, Brady said.

"She'd lost her husband in the war. She felt he wasn't appreciated," Brady said. "There was something about that song that touched her. We decided then that there had to be a way to get this song out to everybody."

After a brainstorming session, Brady said Seacrest, who hosts the morning show, "On Air with Ryan Seacrest," emerged as the most influential person in the music industry - someone able to get the song national attention. The trio overnighted a copy of the CD with some information about the song to Seacrest, who also hosts Fox's "American Idol."

Brady said initial contact with Seacrest's producers was encouraging, but after several days, interest began to fizzle.

The morning crew then decided to call Seacrest's request line and ask him to play Corrado's song - and they encouraged listeners do the same thing.

"We stayed on the air until one in the afternoon," said Brady, whose show usually runs from 5:30 to 10 a.m. "We gave out the request line number to listeners and they called also."

And although calls from eastern North Carolina were definitely noticed - reports swirled that request lines were jammed at "On Air"- Brady said they still didn't get any word from Seacrest's camp.

So the next step was to take out a full page ad in the Los Angeles Times.

"We tossed the idea out to listeners, and they wanted to keep going," said Brady. The show began collecting money for the ad, but the price proved a bit steep - more than $100,000.

To Oprah with love

With the money they raised, the team purchased 400 of Corrado's CDs and the "Play It Forward" campaign was born. It works like this: Each CD is passed to 10 people, who keep it for 24 hours. CD holders sign a paper explaining the campaign and are encouraged to write about the song if they want.

The 10th person to get the CD then slips it in the mail to Winfrey. If all goes well, by Friday Winfrey will get all 400 copies and 4,000 signatures along with them. Brady said the hope is that the show of support will be enough get Corrado a "Harpo Hook Up," a special program run by Winfrey that helps deserving people get a lucky break.

"Oprah's always been in support of the military," Brady said. "We really feel if Oprah gets these CDs, she'll recognize the support this song has and do something with it."

Corrado said he is getting lots of support from fans about the campaign.

"The response has been overwhelming," Corrado said via e-mail. "I am humbled by how the song has affected listeners â?¦ it speaks volumes for the healing power of music, and it's truly inspiring."

Brady said he believes the song not only inspires, but also enlightens.

"Even if you don't necessarily agree with everything that's going on with this war, this song helps you understand what our service men and women really do and how important it is," said Brady.

"People who â?¦ have never been around the military don't understand what they go through. Music is a great venue for that. There's an awakening that happens with the listener." - Jacksonville Daily News

The Mike Corrado Band, Live at Thalian Hall (© 2004 Mike Corrado)
A former marine turned rock star? Who woulda thought? To top it off, it's a DVD of a live performance. Although, in retrospect, the way things are going, it makes more sense to package music that way. I mean, why should you be content with a dozen songs from a performer, with just a few pictures to look at? Why not a performance video? Then you know what you're getting. And while that argument lies in another essay, I will say I rather like the MCB. There's a vague association to be made between the band and the Dave Matthews Band – not necessarily in a stylistic sense, but both acts seem to have a strong following, and perform best live. And like Matthews, the music is somewhere towards the jazzier side, or perhaps jazz infused is a more apt description. How about jazz-infused jam rock? No matter, it works. And while Corrado may not have the stage presence or hippity dance moves of Matthews, like any good marine, he gets the job done. His vocals are smooth and crisp, his rhythm guitar playing is more than adequate, and he has a tight funky little band behind him. - NYROCK

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (May 12, 2005) -- A Marine serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom left a successful career in order to deploy. Having lived a life laced with music, he now plays to a different tune.

Major Mike Corrado, company commander, Headquarters and Service Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Headquarters Group, II MEF (FWD) is the lead vocalist in The Mike Corrado Band. The band has played concerts with several recording artist including Vertical Horizon, Train and John Mayer.

Corrado received a flare for music at a young age.

“I originally started out playing drums when I was in second grade,” said Corrado, Jacksonville N.C. native. “When I was in college I bought a guitar and learned how to play just because I started doing some writing.”

Corrado started performing in bars wherever he could play. He later found Marines who were serving in the 2nd Marine Division Marine Corps Band and desired to form a band of there own. The Mike Corrado Band was born and has continued to evolve.

“It [the band] went from all Marines to no Marines other than myself and now back to two of its original members,” explained Corrado.

It was accessible for Corrado to find talent in the Marine Corps Band, but he was looking for something more.

“You have to find people with the right vision too,” he continued. “As we started getting bigger in the Carolinas it was a little bit easier to find people who wanted to play. We were out there making a name for ourselves, things were moving up and things were getting bigger with every month that went by. I had a little more flexibility to pick people that I thought would perform well.”

Upon leaving the states for his deployment, Corrado released a solo album titled Falling Awake. He dedicated the recording to his wife Kate and his 5-month-old daughter Olivia.

The song My Watch contains backup vocals by recording artist Edwin McCain. Corrado and McCain have been friends since 1992. McCain had his own way of showing his support of Corrado’s decision to defend the United States.

“Edwin gave me a guitar to bring over here,” Corrado said. “He has been a good mentor. He has been through some ups and downs and he has been through some pitfalls. He’s given me a lot of advice along the way.”

With the support of his family and friends, Corrado was willing to put his dream on hold. He takes his duty serious and wants there to be no misunderstanding about why he made his decision.

“Sometimes there is a misconception between what the media put out compared to what people here really feel,” explained Corrado. “People aren’t here under duress. We signed up to support our country and its constitution and if this is what it takes then here we are.

Corrado has plans to complete his tour of duty and return to the stage with his musical comrades.

“With this whole thing about taking time off the road, I could have just said no thanks, but I look at this as my personal tax for the freedoms I enjoy and the freedoms my family enjoys,” he continued. “Being away from them and being here with these Marines and supporting whatever mission is tasked to us, if that’s what’s asked of me than that’s the least I can do for everything that I enjoy.” - USMC Website

When was the last time an active duty Marine performed in a jazz- rock band and released a live DVD? This is not a trivia question; it’s a reality for one man and his band. I cannot say I have ever heard anything like this before. Mike Corrado and two of his Marine friends decided to form a group a few years ago. So now five albums and a DVD later, Corrado and his tight-as-a-drum unit are showing why they have been creating such a buzz in their home state of North Carolina and on armed forces radio and TV. Most certainly, with a top-notch production as this DVD Live at Thalian Hall; their popularity will enjoy a spike in overall sales of their recorded works.

Corrado is talented bandleader, singer, and guitar player that relies on an outstanding band to bring his music and message on home to his audience. Although they are not much to witness visually, flash and pomp are not necessary when you have a great band performing in front of you. Corrado’s voice has just enough roughness around the fringes to make it appealing, and it is perfect for this music, as you will witness. His style embraces each composition with heartfelt emotion and grace.... - JazzReview.com