Nathan Cavaleri (born 18 June 1982) is an Australian
blues rock
Blues rock is a fusion music genre that combines elements of blues and rock music. It is mostly an electric ensemble-style music with instrumentation similar to electric blues and rock (electric guitar, electric bass guitar, and drums, sometimes w ...
singer-songwriter and guitarist, and a former
child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...
. He issued two albums as a solo artist, ''
Jammin' with the Cats
''Jammin' with the Cats'' is the debut studio album by Australian blues rock musician Nathan Cavaleri
Nathan Cavaleri (born 18 June 1982) is an Australian blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and a former child actor. He issued two a ...
'' (1993) and ''
Nathan'' (1994). He has been a member of various groups including Dirty Skanks (2003–10), and Nat Col and the Kings (2010–2012). At the age of six Cavaleri was diagnosed with
leukaemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...
and has been in remission since he was 13. As a child actor he appeared in the American film ''
Camp Nowhere
''Camp Nowhere'' is a 1994 American adventure comedy film directed by Jonathan Prince, written by Andrew Kurtzman and Eliot Wald, and stars Christopher Lloyd, Jonathan Jackson and Jessica Alba in her film debut.
Plot
12-year-old Morris "Mud" ...
'' (1994) and starred in ''
Paws'' (1997).
Biography
1982–1992: Early Years
Nathan Cavaleri was born on 18 June 1982 and grew up in
Ruse, New South Wales.
His father, Frank Cavaleri, was a
bricklayer
A bricklayer, which is related to but different from a mason, is a craftsman and tradesman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The terms also refer to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry ...
and part-time guitarist; his mother is Joanne, and the couple also have a younger son.
Cavaleri began playing guitar at the age of five;
he began by using a full-sized guitar with a shaved neck, which done to accommodate his smaller hands.
Cavaleri was diagnosed with
leukaemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...
at age six; he continued playing guitar to take his mind off the disease.
He received
chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemother ...
treatment and, by May 1993, he was in remission.
He asked the Australian branch of
Starlight Children's Foundation
Starlight Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1982. Starlight's programs include providing hospital wear, games, and deliveries to hospitalized children. The programs are provided directly to children through Starlight's ne ...
, a charity organisation, to fulfil his wish – at the age of nine he played with
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Scotland and raised in England, he was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits. He pursued a s ...
; he described Cavaleri's playing as "unbelievable".
Knopfler also donated a gold plaque awarded to his group,
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and per ...
, for their album ''
Brothers in Arms'' (1985).
Regarded as a
child prodigy
A child prodigy is defined in psychology research literature as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to young people who are extraor ...
, Cavaleri was later trained by, and at age thirteen, eventually toured with,
B.B. King
Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...
.
King described Cavaleri as "the future of the blues".
In May 1992 Cavaleri released his debut single, "
Little Egypt", which was a cover version of Elvis Presley's track from 1964,
and peaked at No. 63 in Australia. Its B-side, "Nat's Blues", was co-written by Cavaleri with his father, Frank.
[ Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Nats Blues; or at 'Performer:' Nathan Cavaleri]
1993–1995: ''Jammin' with the Cats'' & ''Nathan''
On 12 April 1993 he issued his debut album, ''
Jammin' with the Cats
''Jammin' with the Cats'' is the debut studio album by Australian blues rock musician Nathan Cavaleri
Nathan Cavaleri (born 18 June 1982) is an Australian blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and a former child actor. He issued two a ...
'', on Little Rock/
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival Mu ...
, which was produced by
"Buzz" Bidstrup (
Riptides
The Riptides were an Australian power pop group which was formed in Brisbane, Queensland in 1977 as The Grudge. Their founding mainstay was Mark Callaghan on lead vocals, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and as principal songwriter. Former member M ...
,
GANGgajang
Ganggajang (styled as GANGgajang) are an Australian pop rock band which formed in 1984. The four founders are frontman Mark 'Cal' Callaghan (ex- Riptides) on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Bailey on bass guitar, Graham 'Buzz' Bidstrup on drums ...
,
The Sunnyboys
Sunnyboys are an Australian power pop band formed in Sydney in 1979. Fronted by singer-songwriter, guitarist Jeremy Oxley, the band "breathed some freshness and vitality into the divergent Sydney scene". Their first two albums, '' Sunnyboys ...
).
Bevan Hannan of ''
The Canberra Times
''The Canberra Times'' is a daily newspaper in Canberra, Australia, which is published by Australian Community Media. It was founded in 1926, and has changed ownership and format several times.
History
''The Canberra Times'' was launched in ...
'' described Cavaleri as a "super guitar technician" and felt the album "range
from shuffle, blues and jazz to out and out rock. It is the type of music you would expect to hear on a tonight chat show."
For the album he worked with
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon "Jimmy" Barnes (née Swan; born 28 April 1956) is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist with the rock band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most popular and best- ...
,
Diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
and
Tommy Emmanuel
William Thomas Emmanuel (born 31 May 1955) is an Australian guitarist. Regarded as one of the greatest acoustic guitarists of all time, he is known for his complex fingerstyle technique, energetic performances and use of percussive effects on ...
.
It peaked at No. 33 on the
ARIA Albums Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
.
In September 1993 Cavaleri and Barnes released a cover version of
The La De Das
The La De Da's were a New Zealand rock band of the 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in New Zealand in 1963 as the Mergers, they had considerable success in both New Zealand and Australia until their split in 1975.
In Australia the band is proba ...
' single, "Gonna See My Baby Tonight", from November 1971.
Fifty thousand promotional copies were included as give-aways in
Uncle Tobys
Uncle Tobys is an Australian food manufacturing company which specialises in breakfast oat products. Since its foundation in 1861, the company has expanded its product range across the cereal and ready-to-eat snack market. Uncle Tobys is currentl ...
breakfast cereal boxes.
Barnes provided lead vocals, rhythm guitar and produced the track, Bidstrup was on drums, Michael Hegerty on bass guitar and Jeff Neill on rhythm guitar and backing vocals.
For his second album, ''
Nathan'' (1994), he used
Teddy Andreadis
Teddy 'Zig Zag' Andreadis is an American piano/ harmonica player who has worked with many popular musicians, including Carole King, Guns N’ Roses, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Alice Cooper, Bruce Willis, and the Boxing Gandhis. In 1999 he was voted ...
on keyboards,
Curt Bisquera
Curt "Kirkee B." Bisquera is an American drummer known for his extensive work as a touring and session musician.
Biography
Bisquera has worked with Johnny Cash, Josh Groban, Mick Jagger, Seal, Sarah McLachlan, Elton John, Johnny Hallyday an ...
on drums,
Jeff Berlin
Jeffrey Arthur Berlin (born January 17, 1953) is an American jazz fusion bassist. He first came to prominence in the 1970s as a member of the band Bruford led by drummer Bill Bruford.
Musical career
Berlin was born on January 17, 1953, in Quee ...
on bass guitar, Randy Jacobs on guitar and
Sweet Pea Atkinson and
Andrew Strong.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Erik Crawford noted that "he delivers jaw-dropping solos on track after track" as he "offers up an earthy blues effort that fits nicely alongside other teen blues sensations."
[ Note: user may have to click on 'Credits' tab to access further information.] The album provided two singles, "
Workin' on It" (September 1994, No. 55 in Australia) and "
(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" (March 1995).
For its United States release, Cavaleri signed with
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
and Michael Jackson's label, MJJ Music.
He has played with
Robben Ford
Robben Lee Ford (born December 16, 1951) is an American blues, jazz, and rock guitarist. He was a member of the L.A. Express and Yellowjackets and has collaborated with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Larry Carlton, Rick Sprin ...
, and
Aaron Neville
Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is a retired American R&B and soul singer. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. ...
,
An instrumental version of his song "Lou's Blues" is featured in the film ''
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home'', and he has served as a spokesman for
Peavey Guitars
Peavey Guitars are electric, acoustic, and electric bass guitars branded by Peavey Electronics.
List of models
Guitars
*Axcelerator Series
**Axcelerator (made in USA 1994–1998)
**Axcelerator AX (made in USA 1995–1998)
**Axcelerator F (mad ...
.
1996–2002: Hiatus
Cavaleri finished secondary school in the mid 1990s, paused his musical career and became a brickie's labourer.
On 18 October 2000 Cavaleri performed during the Opening Ceremony of the
11th Paralympic Games in Sydney.
Cavaleri reflected on his early career said in 2004, "When I was doing all of that stuff (it) doesn't even feel like it was my life ... It feels like a haze. It feels like a dream. It just feels like images in the head, almost like a western movie."
"I just totally escaped music ... It can be a dark time when you’re finding yourself creatively."
2003–2012: Dirty Skanks & Nat Col and the Kings
In 2003 he formed a group, Dirty Skanks, with
Col Hatchman on drums, then a member of
The Screaming Jets
The Screaming Jets are an Australian hard rock band formed in Newcastle, Australia, in 1989 by frontman Dave Gleeson (vocals), Paul Woseen (bass guitar), Grant Walmsley (guitar)Richard Lara(guitar), and Brad Heaney (drums). The band has three a ...
.
Dirty Skanks released the album ''Voluptuosity'' on Jaynie Records in 2004.
By 2010 Dirty Skanks was renamed as Nat Col and the Kings.
Cavaleri writes and arranges his own material as the group tours, by 2012 the line-up included Toni Bird on backing vocals and Kenny Jewell on bass guitar.
Nat Col and the Kings released three EPs in 2010, 2011, and 2012 on Jaynie Records.
2012–2018: Health concerns
By 2012 Cavaleri started having health concerns and noticed he was getting panic attacks before gigs. Cavaleri got through a few more gigs but soon decided he didn't want to keep on touring. He suffered serious insomnia, anxiety and depression. Cavaleri met with doctors who suggested medication, but he instead adopted a more holistic approach; completing a mindfulness course, visiting a psychologist regularly, meeting a clinical nutritionist and exploring integrated medicine. He undertook activities away from music, like surfing and meditation.
At the start of 2016, Cavaleri quietly made his return to the stage for the first time in three and a half years, performing one song with Kenny Jewell at a local gig. This performance reignited Cavaleri's passion for music.
2018–2020: relaunch of career and ''Demons''
2019 saw Nathan Cavaleri return to the stage after a 5-year struggle with anxiety/depression.
In October 2019, Cavaleri released the 4-track EP ''Demons''. All four tracks were released as singles, with the single "29 Gold Stars" receiving rave reviews from triple j, double j, MusicFeeds and PileRats.
In 2020, three more singles were released, before a forthcoming studio album, also titled ''Demons'', set for release on 6 August 2020.
2020–present
Twitch
In April 2020, Nathan started his Twitch career after being encouraged to join by a fellow Twitch creator
Pestily after meeting at a
Starlight Children's Foundation
Starlight Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1982. Starlight's programs include providing hospital wear, games, and deliveries to hospitalized children. The programs are provided directly to children through Starlight's ne ...
event.
In May 2021, Nathan became
partnered on Twitch.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
Filmography
Film
* ''
Camp Nowhere
''Camp Nowhere'' is a 1994 American adventure comedy film directed by Jonathan Prince, written by Andrew Kurtzman and Eliot Wald, and stars Christopher Lloyd, Jonathan Jackson and Jessica Alba in her film debut.
Plot
12-year-old Morris "Mud" ...
'' (1994) as Steve
* ''
Paws'' (1997) as Zac (final film role)
Television
* ''
Baywatch Nights
''Baywatch Nights'' is an American police and science-fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the television series, '' ...
'' (1995) as Willy Logan / Willy Simon
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cavaleri, Nathan
1982 births
Living people
Australian people of Italian descent
Australian male child actors
Australian male film actors
Australian blues guitarists
Australian male guitarists
Australian rock guitarists
20th-century Australian male actors
20th-century Australian musicians
21st-century Australian musicians
20th-century guitarists
21st-century guitarists
20th-century Australian male musicians
21st-century Australian male musicians