This Friday, the annual Hillsdale Garden Party will draw out the cocktail dresses and dance moves in an evening of revelry made possible by the Simone Vitale Band.
The band, named for its lead guitarist and MC, has come to Hillsdale over 20 times throughout the past 15 years.
“We love Hillsdale,” Vitale said. “This is not just another gig. It’s a great place. I like the people, the students are very receptive, and it’s also a pretty college. It’s like a little vacation.”
The band has 12 members who Vitale said were, “some of the very finest musicians.”
For 20 years, they have played together all over the country and claim to be “the number one party band” on their website. Vitale said his band was formed by word of mouth.
“You know, you ask people, ‘who do you know that could do this?’ People say, ‘I have a girlfriend who can sing.’ They audition, they were great, and so on,” Vitale said.
The chemistry of the band is very good, Vitale added.
“It has to be when you spend that much time together. It’s like a team sport – like football – you can’t overplay and you can’t underplay.”
But Vitale is confident in his team.
“It’s like when the Lions play the San Francisco 49ers and win. We win every night. If you don’t have a fun time at this party, it will be your own fault.”
The Simone Vitale band performs two to three times a week.
“Most of our practice is on the job. We plan the songs, you learn your part, we have a vocal rehearsal and we play.”
Don’t think Hillsdale is their biggest gig of the year, however.
“We have played for President Bill Clinton three times. We played for George W. Bush and Barack Obama’s inaugural balls, [and] for ten years we played for Governor Jennifer Granholm.”
Vitale considered playing for Bill Clinton the highlight of his career.
“It was awesome. When you get to that level, the people you meet are incredible. Bill Clinton is a fun, fun person. When he walks in the room you think, ‘He’s a rock star.’ Very fun to be around.”
Vitale said he’s continually rewarded by all the wonderful people he meets and the places he visits. When he played at Bush’s inaugural ball, his son flew up from Florida and spent the night talking to Donald Rumsfeld, then Secretary of Defense.
The trip was not without its frustrations, however.
“The security at the balls was incredible,” Vitale said. “We had to bring our clothes to the Smithsonian Museum the night before to check them out to see if there were bombs or something.”
When asked when he felt he “arrived” at his dreams, Vitale said, “When I was four years old – just kidding! No, I don’t think I have arrived yet.”
He defined his ideal gig as playing onstage with Paul McCartney during a birthday party for Oprah Winfrey, for the president at a White House dinner party, or at the Vanity Fair party in Los Angeles after the Oscars.
“That would be the bomb,” Vitale said. “Playing that is my dream gig.”
His personal hero is Lester Iannin, “the most famous society band leader of all time.”
“I didn’t really like his music, but he played for Kings and Queens. That’s when you’ve arrived.”
Vitale’s children are now grown, but he said there was minimal difficulty in raising children and being a musician.
“A musician isn’t much different than being a doctor or a lawyer who is on call. You don’t have weekends, but you have the weekdays to make it work,” Vitale said. “My kids thought it was really cool, they still come see me play.”
After years of experience, Vitale shared some advice he received from his father: “If you want to succeed in life, know as many people as possible. That is the key to success.”
Amanda Bigney, director of student activities, said they welcomed the band back again this year because they were a huge hit with more than one demographic.
“Last year they added swing, which was a huge success, and we got really good feedback,” she said.
“They understand the Hillsdale culture,” Marissa Philipp, president of the student activities board, said. “They’re a good fit.”
“We just play whatever we think the kids are going to like,” Vitale explained. “The best thing is I am with people at the happiest moments of their life. Not too many people can say that.”
