Meet Richard Palalay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Palalay.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I have been a professional musician all of my adult life. As a pianist and keyboardist (playing synthesizers), I’ve played in every format: a solo pianist, in duos, trios, and bands, with swing big bands, small orchestras and production variety shows. All of those stints have been quite enriching, the mostly good along with the (thankfully) occasional bad. Always something to be learned from each and every gig, and overall all of it made me a very experienced musician! But it wasn’t until I moved to Scottsdale in 1998 and was hired as a Nordstrom piano player (when the company was known for their in-store pianists playing a 7-foot Steinway Model B grand piano) that I grew considerably and matured as a musician. Playing the piano five days a week was great for maintaining one’s ‘chops’ (or technique) and stamina, but more than that it expanded my awareness of so many great songs written across so many genres of music. I did that almost every week for ten years. And it truly shaped my ability to make the melody sing, and thus bring the song to life in a way that resonated with the people who came into the store. In a way, I came full circle in music…one of my strengths as a pianist has been an accompanist to singers. Working with the nuances and shadings of the melody line during my Nordstrom stint, I was able to replicate what I’ve always heard–and admired–in singers, that ability to infuse the notes of a melody with something much more than the mere notes!

Please tell us about your art.
I make, I play, and I create music. By playing the piano (or digital keyboard). The first two I do simply by sitting and playing the piano. I create music as a composer/songwriter. Which is something I have done pretty much all my life and only because I hear melodies and harmonies in my head, and I am compelled to write them down, then record them? I have been fortunate to turn that writing ability into a professional career as a composer and see some of those songs being played on radio stations and television, not just in the U.S. but in other countries as well–several are still earning royalties all these years later. The biggest inspiration is being contacted by people who are complete strangers, who have heard something I’ve written and felt they had to tell me how much the song meant to them. I don’t always have a message when I compose a song; it is something that I feel the listener can take and make it their own, interpret it; however, they want to! Although my albums from the 1990s when I was recording for a record label are now out-of-print, I’ve discovered that they are still available from second-party sellers on Amazon! I have entered a new phase in the past several years, teaming up with lyricists to write songs as a collaborative endeavor. Although I still continue to compose instrumentals, I want to see where writing songs with words will take me.

What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I do not think that conditions today are better than say 20 or more years ago. There were certainly more venues featuring live music back then, and in a metro area like Phoenix, I see less places for performers and bands to play. I feel that the respect for musicians has diminished considerably these days; more than a few people would rather hire a DJ than a live band–and in a lot of cases that DJ is paid more than a band. Several of the retirement communities around the Valley continue to feature live music, which is great for a full-time musician like me, as I get to keep playing gigs (and pay the bills!). My theory on that is the Baby Boomers grew up with live music and real bands, and now in their retirement phase of life, they still appreciate the allure of people up on stage playing away on their instruments. Here and there, a venue like a restaurant will open and feature live music. Sadly some of these places close up or change ownership in a short time, and the music aspect is discontinued. I’d like to see more places present a music option, but with costs to run a place, paying the band a decent wage is not viable. I just don’t see how one can pay a musician $50 to play for a night, and yet some of the venues that have music are paying the musicians only a little above that. Sadly I do not see this trend improving in the near future. Cities like Scottsdale do feature live music as part of events such as the Culinary Arts Festival or in some of the city parks entertainment programs, and as infrequent as those are, it’s better than no music at all.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Right now, it would be on YouTube. I have posted several videos of songs I’ve written and recorded over the years, so people can simply go to the YouTube website and type in my name and listen to–and perhaps enjoy–the music! There are two or three out-of-print albums available on Amazon, and no doubt in bookshops or stores that sell used CDs! I’ve just released an album (more like an EP with seven songs) under the WildeP’lay name, which is the name of the writing and performing collaboration I have with singer and saxophonist Donna Wilde, and it can be had by contacting me through my website, www.RichardPalalayMusic.com. As for my live music performances, I do mainly private engagements these days, with the occasional show presented in a public venue (such as Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, Fountain Hills Theater, etc.). These change all the time; best to go to my website and check my calendar page to see if a date is open to the public. I–and my fellow performers–would love to see more people come to the shows!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RichardPalalayMusic.com
• Email: Leaningmirror@cox.net
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RichardPalalayMusic

Image Credit:
Dana Salsbury (photo #5)
Pure & Simple Productions (photo #7)

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