Produced and engineered by Bernie Chiaravalle

Recorded at The Hideaway in Franklin, TN

• So Far Back in Time
• More To This Life
• I'm Givin' My Heart
• Who We Long To Be
• The Art of Letting Go
• Nothing's Sacred Anymore
• Keep On Lovin' You
• Lay Down My Arms
• Tonight (I Will Dance With You)
• Hasn't Happened Yet
• What You Believe
• I Just Don't Get It
• If It Was You
• Winnie's Song

Musicians:

Dan Needham: drums and percussion on “More To This Life”

Shannon Forrest: drums on “I’m Givin’ My Heart”

Mark Douthit: saxophones on “Keep On Lovin’ You”

Bernie Chiaravalle: vocals, guitars, bass, drums, percussion and keyboards

All songs written by Bernie Chiaravalle (Bernoit Music/ASCAP) except “Keep On Lovin’ You” written by Bernie Chiaravalle (Bernoit Music/ASCAP) and Chris Eddy (Chris Eddy Music/ASCAP)

Album design and graphics by Bill Chiaravalle

Photography by Adam Chiaravalle

More To This Life

Bernie Chiaravalle

© Bernoit Music 2023

Bernie Chiaravalle seems to be an energetic musician. He’s been a band member with Michael McDonald since 1988 and still this is his 13th solo release! That says a lot about this talented musician.

On More To This Life, Bernie sings and plays guitar, bass, drums, percussion and keyboards! Not to mention he produced and engineered the album… A few guest musicians are involved too, to be mentioned below.

Stylewise, Chiaravalle has been wandering the roads of soft melodic rock and westcoast rock through the years. Somtimes the westcoast vibes have been more dominant, while on other albums not as obvious. This time the soft melodic rock is the overall ingredient, and I think of later Eagles and sometimes Tom Petty. A fine example of a really good such song is ”I’m Givin’ My Heart”. Even a hint of The Beatles at times, like in ”More To This Life”, the title track.

You can always rely on a suberb craftmanship from Bernie. A lot of artists who record almost everything themselves and also produces the songs, end up sounding quite demo:ish. Not Bernie Chiaravalle!

Am I sensing an influence from Toto in ”The Art Of Letting Go”? It’s the same type of winning semi-ballad that Steve Lukatherand Randy Goodrum have been successful with.

”Hasn’t Happened Yet” is a bit more melancholic, still enough of melodic rock to be appreciated by the fans. Awesome harmony vocals in this one!

A strength here is that we get as many as 14 songs. When it’s about as good a songwriter as Bernie there are no fillers, so you can feel at home with this one. I know some people try to find excuses for artists who release short albums of like 35 minutes or so. Forget it! I call it laziness or lack of musical inspiration. But Bernie Chiravalle does it the right way! Many songs, and good songs. Period.

by Ola Gränshagen - Melodic.net

This album contains 14 of those songs, including guest musicians Dan Needham (drums), Mark Douthit (sax) and Shannon Forrest (drums). Bernie also handles guitars, bass, keyboards, drums and vocals. He wrote all the songs solo except “Keep On Lovin’ You”, which he co-wrote with Chris Eddy (son of Duane).

The title track “More To This Life” is the lead off single. It’s a song Chiaravalle is especially proud of. He feels he expressed his overview of life during the pandemic but also life in general. 

There’s more to this life
Then what we see before us
Open your mind and your heart will know
It’s you that decides
Which road you’re bound to follow
There’s more to this life…