Maggie Cocco

 

I grew up on that old time rock

and roll. My father, a trained jazz

 guitarist and classic rocker,

introduced me to artists like The

 Beatles, The Eagles, Elton John,

Billy Joel, Steve Miller Band, The

Rolling Stones, Pat Benatar, Heart,

 Fleetwood Mac, Styx, Eric Clapton,

 Queen, and Aerosmith. My mom

favored Motown and

singer-songwriters and introduced

me to the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye,

 Gladys Knight & The Pips, Martha

and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder,

 Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Rare

 Earth, The Supremes, James Taylor,

Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell. The

list goes on. I had a wealth of

diverse music from the 1950s, 60s,

70s, and 80s at my disposal growing

up, and I soaked it up like a sponge.

 As we all like to do, I imitated

singers and song styles like it was

my job – not always successfully,

but it was the beginning of my

music education.

 

I loved the music I grew up with

and I knew it well! In my later teens,

my curiosity became focused on

two new very natural areas for any

 teenage girl: boys and the music

they liked! Suddenly, I found myself

 listening to Tool, Alice in Chains,

Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, The

 Scorpions, Rage Against the

Machine, Soundgarden, Dream

Theater, Guns n’ Roses, Pantera, and

 Metallica. A whole new world of

musical ideas and thoughts opened

up to me. I loved this music too…

Then, I was also introduced to bands

 like City in Color, Shinedown, and

Jack Johnson. I love this music as

well! Needless to say, that while

the relationships with the boys

didn’t last, the impact of the music

they introduced me to will last a

 lifetime!

 

The next stop on my musical journey

 was college and the campus of

Oakland University. Holy classical

 music! Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven,

 Schubert, Schumann, Purcell, Cage,

 Argento, Berg, Whitacre…What

beasts! I became totally immersed

in classical music. But, when I was at

 home (and not studying!) I would

spend every waking moment

 thinking about my life events and

 writing – poems, lyrics and music. I

was stressed and exhausted from

the rigors of school – and where did

 I turn to recharge myself? Music.

Music that was just…me.

 

After graduation, at age 22, I had

the opportunity to go to Nashville

and spend quality time in the studio

 with some really cool musicians

 included the likes of Leon Medica;

Jeff LeBar; Eric Brittingham, Mark

 Jordon, Larry Goad; Randy Leago

and others. These folks really

helped me define my style and

started me on the path to

development. Then, I went to Baton

 Rouge and work with the great

people at PreSonus Audio Team and

 record my first album with

producer/guitarist Jim Odom,

Bassist – Roland Gueirin,

Percussionist – Tim Courville,

 Saxophonist – John Bastenelli,

Guitarist – Mike Zito and so many

other great people. An amazing

 opportunity!

 

Today, I have a great live backing

band called Creative Conscience

that includes – Nic Cocco, Will

Cyprian, Todd Allen Jernagin, Derrick

 Brent, Ami McLenon, Connor

Williams as well as sound and video

 by Charles Kennedy.

From the time I was old enough to

feel the music, music has been my

 passion. I have written many poems,

 songs and music. So there you have

 it! A musical history of Maggie from

 birth to present…with many more

 chapters to come!