Bob DiPiero | |
|---|---|
 DiPiero performing at the CMA Songwriters' Series in September 2014. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert John DiPiero |
| Origin | March 3, 1951 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Formerly of | Billy Hill |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Website | bobdipiero |
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.
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]
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]
