Carl Allocco
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Carl Allocco | |
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| Born | Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | Oceanside, Long Island, New York, U.S. |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, writer, entrepreneur |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | Major-label (various) |
| Associated acts | Various bands |
Carl Allocco is an American musician, songwriter, writer, and startup co-founder based in New York City. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has recorded with multiple bands, secured major-label record deals, contributed thousands of personalized songs to the Songs of Love Foundation, and co-founded the Nashville fan-funding startup Bandtwango. His work has been featured in Musician Magazine and Rock Stars Scrapbook[1][2] as well as The Tennessean[3] and the Good Morning America television program.[4] He has also been a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and was twice nominated for New York Music Awards. Following a full glossectomy in 2024 due to tongue cancer, Allocco has continued to create music using AI voice modeling technology.[5]
Early life
Allocco was born in Queens and raised in Oceanside, Long Island, New York. He began playing guitar as a child and by his teens was performing in local bands. His early influences included The Beatles and classic rock acts of the 1960s and 1970s.
A 2016 feature in the Queens newspaper QNS highlighted Allocco’s upbringing in Queens and documented his long-standing contributions to the Songs of Love Foundation, noting his decades of work creating personalized songs for children.[6]
Career
Dreamer (1979–1983)
Allocco first came to attention as frontman of the pop/rock band Dreamer, which signed with RCA Records in the early 1980s. Although the group recorded an album while managed by Tommy Mottola through his company Champion Entertainment, it was never released. Mottola also managed Hall & Oates during this period and later became president of Sony Records. Dreamer performed regularly in the New York club circuit, including appearances at the Bitter End.[7]
In 1981, Allocco appeared with Dreamer on Hofstra University’s cable television program Tidal Wave, performing live and being interviewed by the show’s host.[8]
Carl and the Passion (1985–1990)
In 1985, Allocco formed the band Carl and the Passion. The group released the single “Everybody Walks Too Fast” backed with “How Do You Get Home” on the British label Neat Records in 1987.[9][10] The following year, the band was nominated for two New York Music Awards: Best Rock Band – Independent Label and Best New Vocalist (Carl Allocco).[11]
The band received coverage in publications such as Rock Stars Scrapbook and was profiled in Musician Magazine for its blend of melodic pop-rock and work ethic.[1] News 12 Long Island also interviewed Allocco and Paul Doherty about the band and its New York Music Awards nominations.[12] A contemporaneous review in The Good Times praised the band’s demo as “one of the most listenable cassettes I’ve heard in a long time.”[13]
Philanthropic projects
In 1985, Allocco co-wrote the charity single Let’s Give Them Life as part of L.I.F.E. (Long Island For Ethiopia), a collective of fifteen Long Island bands who recorded music to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief. The project was later profiled in local media and described as a regional counterpart to We Are the World.[14]
Solo career
Allocco released his first solo album Gray under the pseudonym Charlie Dog in 1998, recording at Sanctuary Recording Studios in Nashville.[15][16] His song “Somebody Like You” from the album was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 1999.[17] He followed with Goodbye Charlie Dog (2000), Pure and Simple (2006) and Odd and Endings (2010).[18]
A feature in Talent in Motion magazine profiled Allocco’s work as Charlie Dog, noting his independent releases and continued involvement in songwriting and production.[19] Allocco has also released numerous singles, including “I Want to Live My Life Again,” “I Need You” and “In the Company of Strangers”.[20][21] His work is available through the Big Blue Sky label on Spotify and Apple Music.
In 2023–25, Allocco re‑recorded portions of his back catalogue using AI vocal technology following his glossectomy.
Songs of Love Foundation
Since 1996, Allocco has been one of the principal songwriters for the nonprofit Songs of Love Foundation, creating personalized songs for children and teens facing medical challenges. He has written more than 8 000 songs for the organization.[4]
Bandtwango (2016)
In 2016, Allocco co‑founded the Nashville startup Bandtwango with Music Row executive John Alexander. The platform provided fan‑funded artist development and was profiled in The Tennessean.[3] A 2020 article in MusicRow reported that after Alexander’s departure, Allocco assumed full operational leadership of the platform.[22]
94twenty Podcast (2020–2024)
In 2020, Allocco co‑founded the 94twenty Podcast with Greg Riggle and Nicole Hoglund. The show ran for more than 175 episodes and featured discussions on the music industry and emerging artists.[23][24][25] The show concluded in 2024 following Allocco’s cancer diagnosis.[5]
Writing
Allocco is the author of the children’s book A Squirrel’s Tail and the memoir Finding My Voice (2025).[26]
Recognition
- Nominated for two New York Music Awards in 1988.[27][11]
- Finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (1999).[17]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hedges, Dan (April 1988). "Carl & the Passion: The Work Ethic and a Rabbit's Foot". Musician Magazine. pp. 12–14.
- ↑ Hedges, Dan (1987). "Carl and the Passion". Rock Stars Scrapbook. pp. 12–13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rau, Nate (November 8, 2016). "Nashville startup Bandtwango offers twist on crowdfunding". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Good Morning America, ABC, January 2024 segment featuring Carl Allocco and the Songs of Love Foundation.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Carl Allocco official biography – About page". Carl Allocco. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "Forest Hills nonprofit heals with music". QNS. April 2016. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ Taylor, Debbie (June 1979). "Fulfilling the Dream: Dreamer". The Good Times. p. 60.
- ↑ "Dreamer Interview and Performance". Hofstra University Cable Network ("Tidal Wave"). Hofstra University. 1981. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ Carl and the Passion – “Everybody Walks Too Fast” / “How Do You Get Home”, Neat Records single release, 1987.
- ↑ "Carl and the Passion – Everybody Walks Too Fast / How Do You Get Home". Discogs. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 New York Music Awards nomination certificate, 1988.
- ↑ "Carl Allocco and Paul Doherty Interview". News 12 Long Island. News 12 Networks. 1988. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "Carl and the Passion – Album Length Demo". The Good Times. April 1988.
- ↑ "Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame June Music Events". LongIsland.com. June 2023. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "Gray – Charlie Dog (album)". AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ "John Beltzer & Carl Allocco – event biography". Handstamp. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, 1999 finalist list.
- ↑ "Carl Allocco – Credits & Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "Charlie Dog". Talent in Motion. Vol. II, no. 2. 1998. p. 33.
- ↑ "Carl Allocco artist page". Spotify. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "Carl Allocco". Apple Music. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "Bandtwango CEO John Alexander Resigns (Exclusive)". MusicRow. May 2020. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "94twenty Podcast". Spotify. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "94twenty Podcast". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "94twenty Podcast". iHeartRadio. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ "A Squirrel's Tail on Amazon". Amazon. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
- ↑ Santo, Jim (May 1988). "Carl and the Passion". Musician’s Exchange. p. 15.
External links
This article "Carl Allocco" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.