Award-winning Record Producer Dino Maddalone of The Ask Dino Show Interviews Musician Eric Seats

Eric Seats is an accomplished drummer to the stars, single father of one daughter, mentor and now an Executive Producer of the “Next Great Drummer”.  “The Next Great Drummer” show will follow aspiring drummers on a nationwide tour, covering contestants as they compete for the title of “top drummer” in their city.  Seats is the featured drummer on the new Omarion music video and is the host for the Nationwide Next Great Drummer Competitions.

The Next Great Drummer Competitions are being held nationwide at Sam Ash Music Stores, a family owned chain since 1924. Sonicbids.com has also come aboard as a partner in the online competitions. A finale’ competition will take place at Knott’s Berry Farm on July 10, 2010 to benefit the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Organization.

Sam Ash Music Store Locations hosting the competitions are in the following states:  California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas & Virginia.

 The drum competitions provide a safe, yet fun forum for all ages to display their drum skills and network with other drum professionals and peers. Contestants are judged by award-winning drummers and music producers, who offer constructive criticism to encourage and inspire growth.  The tour will be followed by a national and international competition for the world's 'Next Great Drummer'.  The show is sponsored by Sam Ash Music and Spaun Drums, and is currently touring to venues across the country, with plans already in the works for Japan and Europe. 

Seats is also part of Key Beats, Inc., an amazing team of music/song writers and producers. This team was established in 1997 by both Rapture Stewart and Eric Seats. Together, Stewart and Seats toured with major artists such as Montel Jordan.  Stewart went on to become the music director for Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Ginuwine and Playa.  Timbaland took note of the production skills of Stewart and Seats and signed them both to a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell.   Eric’s music experience has paid off in chart topping successes like, "Where My Girls At" for 702, in collaboration with Missy Elliot. This song paved the way for a management deal with Blackground Entertainment. He and his team went on to produce songs for the Jet Li and Aaliyah hit movie and soundtrack "Romeo Must Die".

While producing a song for Destiny’s Child member Beyonce Knowles, the opportunity came to also produce "Independent Women (Pt. 2)" for the "Survivor" CD. This was the original version that was recorded for the Drew Barrymore film "Charlie’s Angels".  After the success of the Survivor soundtrack, Aaliyah requested that Seats and his team work on her upcoming project as well. The result was production for half of her record "Aaliyah", which included the number one hit "Rock Da Boat", written by Static. Seats, along with his team,  have gone on to produce and write music projects with such artists as:  Playa, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, Tony Yayo, DJ Whoo Kid, Travis Barker, T.I., DJ Drama, Young Dro, Jay-Z, Tweet, Nelly, Murphy Lee, DMX, Ashanti, Ja Rule, DJ Reflex, DJ Dense, Yung Joc, Diddy, Pharell, Busta Rhymes, Chingy, Fabolous, Tank, Keyshia Cole, Kanye West, Bubba Sparxxx, Nelly Furtado, Rich Boy, Soulja Boy, Lil’ Mo, D4L, En Vogue, Karen Clark-Sheard, The Soul Seekers, Mary Mary, Chante Moore, Kenny Latimore, Dave Hollister, Lalah Hathaway, Kelly Price, Patti LaBelle and Stevie Wonder.   In the future, keep an eye out for Eric’s Broadway musical, 'Timeless'. 

See the interview at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P75IEroMeTU

About the Ask Dino Show

 “Ask Dino” is aired twice weekly on Time Warner Cable in Southern California. Dino Maddalone is a well-respected film, television and video games music producer. He owns a state-of-the-art recording and post production studio in Los Angeles, CA.  Dino Maddalone wrote and produced a new rock version of the two times Grammy Award-nominated song "I Wish" by the multi-platinum artist Skee-Lo.  Dino has many credits for television and film, and has been a music producer, engineer and mixer for over 22 years.  In 2008, Dino was selected as “Record Producer of the Year” by The Los Angeles Music Awards committee, and the CD that he produced for Kris Searle was nominated for “Record of the Year”. He has also won “Best Album of the Year” and “Best Hard Rock Album of the Year” at the Dove Awards for the Gospel Music Association (GMA). Dino was also selected for the Rugged Records “Hall of Fame”.  For more information, contact dinom4@aol.com