Neil Giraldo Talks Pat Benatar, Jesse's Girl And More

02-16-2025

Neil Giraldo (Pat Benatar Band) is the special guest on the latest episode of The SDR Show with Ralph Sutton and Dov Davidoff. CHQ Media sent over the following details:

They discuss Neil Giraldo growing up sick and how he got into music, getting his big break while playing piano at a cocktail bar, deciding to play with either Rick Derringer or Dan Hartman, meeting Pat Benatar and how they maintain a marriage for such a long time, Neil Giraldo's memoir and wanting to focus on giving others hope with his story, working on "Jesse's Girl" with Rick Springfield and his pitbull, Three Chord Bourbon, the book "My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!" by Neil Giraldo and Pat Benatar coming out in September, a game Guitar God or Guitar Fraud where Dov and Neil have to guess if the phrase Ralph gives them is real or made up, Neil Giraldo's first concert, first drug and first sexual experience.

On Three Chord Bourbon and working with artists like Halestorm and Taking Back Sunday for its Backstage Series: "They work on their own blends. Every band we have in our Backstage series is different."

On being picked to play guitar with The Rick Derringer Band over 200 other players: "Rick knew that if I join the band I could work with songwriting. I wouldn't try and steal the spotlight from him."

On it being Pat Benatar versus a band: "There was a surge in female singers. She got the label deal on her own. We were put together as a partnership from day one. She likes to use the Page/Plant reference. I didn't care about the credit."