Bob DiPiero

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Bob DiPiero
DiPiero performing at the CMA Songwriters' Series in September 2014.
DiPiero performing at the CMA Songwriters' Series in September 2014.
Background information
Birth nameRobert John DiPiero
Origin (1951-03-03) March 3, 1951 (age 73)
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1983–present
Formerly ofBilly Hill
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1991; div. 1998)​
Websitebobdipiero.com

Robert John DiPiero (born March 3, 1951) is an American country music songwriter. He has written 15 US number one hits and several Top 20 singles for Tim McGraw, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Shenandoah, Neal McCoy, Highway 101, Restless Heart, Ricochet, John Anderson, Montgomery Gentry, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, Pam Tillis, Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Travis Tritt, Bryan White, Billy Currington, Etta James, Delbert McClinton, Van Zant, Tanya Tucker, Patty Loveless, and many others.

Early years[edit]

DiPiero was born in the steel-manufacturing center of Youngstown, Ohio. His family moved to the suburban township of Liberty, Ohio. DiPiero graduated from Liberty High School (Ohio) in 1969.[1] He graduated from Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music. He participated in hard rock bands in northeastern Ohio throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. In 1979, DiPiero moved to Nashville. He worked as a session player and traveling musician, then moved into songwriting.[1]

Songwriting career[edit]

DiPiero (left) performing with Kix Brooks for U.S. troops in Afghanistan on behalf of the USO in December 2010

DiPiero's first number one hit as a songwriter was 1983's "American Made" by The Oak Ridge Boys; it also became a national advertisements jingle for Miller Beer and Baby Ruth candybar.[2] Since then, DiPiero co-wrote countless hit singles for other country music artists, with 15 of his songs reaching No. 1 on the country music charts.[3] In 1995 and 1996, he received the Triple Play award from the Country Music Association for 3 number one singles charted in each of those years. In addition, he has 36 awards from BMI for his contributions as a songwriter.[3][4] He was also one third of the country music supergroup Billy Hill; members included Dennis Robbins and John Scott Sherrill.

He helped make Nashville a port-of-call for legendary performers from all genres, writing with Neil Diamond, Carole King, Johnny Van Zant, and Delbert McClinton, among many others.

At one point, DiPiero was married to country music artist Pam Tillis, the daughter of singer Mel Tillis. The couple divorced. On June 18, 2006, he married music publisher, Leslie Tomasino.[5]

DiPiero launched a music industry-based reality series called "The Hitmen of Music Row" premiering September 26, 2007, on the Great American Country cable station.[1] Songwriter participants in the series include Tony Mullins, Jeffrey Steele, and Craig Wiseman.[1]

Awards[edit]

  • 1984: Music City News Top Country Hit of the Year- "American Made-The Oak Ridge Boys"
  • 1990: NSAI Award for Superior Creativity-"The Church On Cumberland Road-Shenandoah"
  • 1993: NSAI Award for Superior Creativity-"Cleopatra, Queen of Denial-Pam Tillis"
  • 1994: The Songwriters Guild Of America in recognition of the success of the hit song "Wink-Neal McCoy"
  • 1994: NSAI Award for Superior Creativity-"Walking Away A Winner-Kathy Mattea"
  • 1995: CMA Triple Play Award (Three No. 1 songs in a 12-month period) "Wink-Neal McCoy," "Take Me As I Am-Faith Hill," Till You Love Me-Reba McEntire"
  • 1995: BMI Robert J. Burton Award Most Performed Country Song of the Year-"Wink-Neal McCoy"
  • 1996: CMA Triple Play Award (Three No. 1 songs in a 12-month period) "Blue Clear Sky-George Strait," "Daddy's Money-Ricochet," "World's Apart-Vince Gill"
  • 1997: Country Music Radio Awards – Song of the Year ("Worlds Apart" by Vince Gill)
  • 1998: Nashville Music Awards – Songwriter of the Year
  • 2000: Sony / A TV, Nashville – Songwriter of the Year.[6]
  • 2001: BMI 50 Most Performed Songs of the Year
  • 2004: BMI 50 Most Performed Songs of the Year-"Cowboy's Like Us-George Strait" "You Can't Take The Honky Tonk Out Of The Girl-Brooks & Dunn"
  • 2005: BMI Most Performed Songs of the Year-"Gone-Montgomery Gentry," "If You Ever Stop Loving Me-Montgomery Gentry"
  • 2006: BMI 50 Most Performed Songs of the Year-"She Don't Tell Me To-Montgomery Gentry"
  • 2007: Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee
  • 2007: Nashville Walk of Fame inductee
  • 2010: 17 Million-Air Honors (BMI)
  • 2017: BMI Icon

Singles written or co-written by Bob DiPiero[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Benson, John (September 23, 2007). "DiPiero, other songwriters on 'Hitmen of Music Row'". The Vindicator. p. D-1. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Bob DiPiero biography". Durango-Songwriters-Expo.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "For Bob DiPiero, All That Counts Is A Great Song". BMI.com. October 31, 2000. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
  4. ^ "Bob DiPiero and Jeffrey Steele to Share Songwriting Secrets at Conclave Learning Conference". BMI.com. June 4, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
  5. ^ "Second Annual MELE Songwriters Workshop Presenters". www.melesongwriters.org. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010.
  6. ^ "Bob DiPiero". musiccitynetworks.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
  7. ^ "Montgomery Gentry's Energy Shines On "Headlights"". Shore Fire Media. July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.

External links[edit]

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