ROBERT CUTARELLA
Conducting Songwriting & Industry Insight Sessions
New York - City Center
131 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019
A dynamic force in the entertainment industry. Forty-odd years ago, Robert Cutarella pursued his childhood dream of a career in the music industry. That decision led to two Grammy Awards as a producer, over 3,000 songs recorded as a publisher, and more than 160 platinum records.
Robert began as a producer and performer, working with major labels and artists such as Joe Williams and Bruce Springsteen. In 1978, Chappell Music/Polygram, then the world’s largest publisher, recruited him for his unmatched ability to match artists with songs. He secured covers, signed and developed writers, and delivered hits for Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Sheena Easton, Air Supply, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, The Police, Elton John, REM, Culture Club, Linda Ronstadt, Frank Sinatra, and many more. He also worked with Chappell’s premier roster, including Hall & Oates, The Bee Gees, Sammy Cahn, Benny Benjamin, and Jule Styne. Robert later became Vice President of John Hammond’s new CBS/Sony label, where he signed or developed Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Metallica, Vanessa Williams, Gino Vannelli, Patrick Simmons, Basia, and others. He went on to found Zaymin/Hitlist, a publishing and management company behind global hits for Celine Dion, The Temptations, .38 Special, Jennifer Rush, Alice Cooper, and more. The management side represented Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Van Zant, and others. The publishing catalog was eventually sold to Polygram.
In 1990, he joined MCA Music as East Coast Director of Talent Acquisition, contributing to hits by Eternal, SWV, Michael Bolton, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Celine Dion, Robin S, and many others.
Since 1994, Robert has continued as an independent producer, working with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Les Paul, Joss Stone, Sting, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Alison Krauss, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Keith Richards, Cyndi Lauper, and more. In 2008, he produced Ashley Tisdale for MGM’s Picture This. He won multiple Grammys in 2005 and remains active in placing music in hit TV shows like American Idol, X Factor, The Voice, NCIS, Bloodline, and various FOX programs. He’s produced four Billboard Dance Top 20 singles in recent years and continues to mentor and develop new artists.
Robert co-founded Inspiros Entertainment with Phil Quartararo (former CEO of Virgin, Warner Bros., and EMI), signing major-label deals for Jeremy Soule and The Melisizwe Brothers. He also scored a No. 1 record with Ben Platt via NBC’s Songland.
Song Critique Insight Sessions
- Industry Overview
- Robert begins with a talk on the current state of the music industry.
- Provides context on evolving trends, listener behavior, and market dynamics.
- Hit Song Analysis
- Plays globally successful songs.
- Breaks down the key features that made these tracks stand out.
- Explains how to apply these techniques to your own music for broader appeal.
- Contemporary vs. Classic Songwriting
- Discusses modern songwriting approaches versus traditional formulas.
- Highlights where the two styles intersect in today’s music landscape.
- Creative Technique & Expression
- Offers tools and techniques to help writers tap into their creative core.
- Encourages writing authentically and effectively expressing personal vision.
- Sound, Melody, and Lyric Integration
- Emphasizes the equal importance of sound, melody, and lyrics.
- Explains how vocal delivery is shaped by phonetics, lyrical flow, and sonic texture.
- Encourages writing with the artist and audience in mind.
- Live Song Critique
- After a short break, Robert listens to songs submitted by attendees.
- Offers professional critique focused on improving each writer’s work.
- Goal: Help attendees refine and elevate their songwriting to its full potential.