SongVault Artist Profile

Armed with an acoustic guitar and a head full of songs, Sal Belloise set out in a VW bus on his musical journey back in the hazy 60s. He's been traveling that road ever since, performing thousands of shows and meeting millions of faces. In the process, his music, like his rich, melodic guitar work and vocals, has deepened with life experiences along the way. Belloise's fans span the globe and are an intricate part of his creative process, as it is his audience who determines which songs get recorded.

"I let the people dictate which songs are keepers and which ones are sleepers by the initial response they receive from applause," Belloise says of the importance of his fans' participation and preferences. Although one tune might go over better in Ireland than another in New York City, his acoustically driven music finds its rhythmic groove somewhere between powerful folkish rock and trans-pop.

Belloise was weaned on vocal harmonies of the late psychedelic era – Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, James Taylor – and his guitar style is steeped in those sounds mixed with the spirit of Jimi Hendrix and flavored with the warm southern nights of living on a small island off the west coast of Florida – Clearwater Beach – where he came of musical age.

A prolific songwriter for decades, Belloise, encouraged by his peers and audiences, decided to release his debut album in February 2008 entitled "Nothing But Love". His music has received considerable airtime on independent radio in the U.S., U.K., and abroad. As the first album continues to garner accolades and downloads, Belloise is preparing to release his second album, "The South in Me" this summer 2008.

Belloise writes from the heart, with uplifting notes and stories most can relate to. He aspires to transform life's everyday mediocrity into experiences that elevate his listeners.

I want everyone to walk away feeling good," he confesses – and believes, "There are pivotal songs in everyone's lives, songs that have special meaning and stay with you." And this is what he hopes to achieve through his art – to reach as many people as possible and through the universal language of song, perhaps find a way to unite people in peace through music.

To his fans he says, "Thank you, thank you, thank you for listening."