Justin Rosolino

Biography

Justin Rosolino’s newest studio effort Wonderlust marks the culmination of years of writing and soul-searching. The follow up to his 1999 release Music, “Wonderlust” is purely reflective of the man behind the music: pensive, sometimes satirical, always honest. It’s a deep and passion-filled collection of songs, given life by the instrumental talents of Sixpence None the Richer’s Matt Slocum, Steve Mason of Jars of Clay, and Nashville piano legend Matt Rollings (Lyle Lovett, Sheryl Crowe). Up-...

Justin Rosolino’s newest studio effort Wonderlust marks the culmination of years of writing and soul-searching. The follow up to his 1999 release Music, “Wonderlust” is purely reflective of the man behind the music: pensive, sometimes satirical, always honest. It’s a deep and passion-filled collection of songs, given life by the instrumental talents of Sixpence None the Richer’s Matt Slocum, Steve Mason of Jars of Clay, and Nashville piano legend Matt Rollings (Lyle Lovett, Sheryl Crowe). Up-and-coming singer-songwriters Dave Barnes, Billy Cerveny, and Matt Wertz lend their vocal talents as well.

“This is the record I’ve been wanted to make for years”, says Rosolino. “It’s a record that says something as a whole - an album in the old school sense - something that can be listened to from start to finish and takes you along for the ride, not just a bunch of non-related, radio-friendly songs.” Produced and mixed by Nashville local Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay) and mastered by Jacquire King (Tom Waits, No Doubt), “Wonderlust” marks the newest chapter in the rise of an authentic, wonderfully-gifted singer-songwriter.

Justin started playing guitar when he was six years old, which in a family like his, seemed the natural thing to do. His father sang and played guitar in the New York R&B circuit – places like the Apollo and the Cotton Club – and Justin began sitting in with the band by the time he was twelve.

His growth as a musician continued through his teens, and in 1991 he left New York for Charlottesville, Virginia, where he put down his electric guitar to front Southern Exposure, an acoustic duo that soon became a local mainstay. Within their first two years of performing, the folk/rock pair were jamming sell-out crowds into local venues and playing with prominent regional acts like SGGL and Jackopierce. They were later voted in as one of the top ten bands in the area, sharing the honor with groups like the Dave Matthews Band. It was at the University of Virginia that Justin began broadening his musical horizons, venturing beyond his folk/rock roots and joining an R&B/funk band, a gospel choir and nationally renowned collegiate chorus. Naturally, this expanded his understanding of music and his approach to the acoustic guitar, and he began digging into the more experimental styles of Michael Hedges, Paul Simon and Jimmy Page.

Moving south in early 1997, Justin quickly established himself in the Atlanta acoustic scene. Before he’d even found a place to live he’d already won his first songwriting/performance competition at the nationally-renowned venue Eddie’s Attic. Since then he’s performed in over 30 states as well as overseas, selling over 4,500 recordings along the way. Highlights have included performances with the likes of India.Arie, David Wilcox, Ellis Paul and Angie Aparo. Justin has also written TV commercial music for Ford, grown as an accomplished session guitarist in Nashville and Atlanta, gotten airplay on indie radio from Canada to the Czech Republic and everywhere in between, and even got to perform for President George W. Bush in the Spring of ’03.

“Wonderlust” is a must have for all music fans who are looking for something a little deeper. Take the reflective lyrics found in folk, add the passionate energy of rock and the textural depth of artful pop, and you’ve got the basic recipe for Justin’s music. At times reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith and Lenny Kravitz, “Wonderlust” travels through the whole range of human emotions.

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