As a company that represents Grammy Award winning artists, hilarious comedians, destination resorts, restaurants, talented thespians and corporations who thrive on cutting-edge technology, Hands On PR & Marketing prides itself on a unique ability to deliver on all levels.
A twenty year veteran of the music and entertainment business, Craig Melone's experience within the industry is as vast as it is varied. Melone, the son of a concert violinist mother and father, mastered the art of percussion and played with various symphony orchestras and concert bands, touring Europe and the states. He entered the University of Miami's prestigious school of music on scholarship where he majored in music and business. Simultaneously, as chairman of entertainment, he booked a number of successful shows for the University including Santana, Christopher Cross and Bonnie Raitt, among others. While at Miami, Capitol Records recruited Melone and placed him in their regional office located in Dallas, Texas.
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As a company that represents Grammy Award winning artists, hilarious comedians, destination resorts, restaurants, talented thespians and corporations who thrive on cutting-edge technology, Hands On PR & Marketing prides itself on a unique ability to deliver on all levels.
A twenty year veteran of the music and entertainment business, Craig Melone's experience within the industry is as vast as it is varied. Melone, the son of a concert violinist mother and father, mastered the art of percussion and played with various symphony orchestras and concert bands, touring Europe and the states. He entered the University of Miami's prestigious school of music on scholarship where he majored in music and business. Simultaneously, as chairman of entertainment, he booked a number of successful shows for the University including Santana, Christopher Cross and Bonnie Raitt, among others. While at Miami, Capitol Records recruited Melone and placed him in their regional office located in Dallas, Texas.
At Capitol Records in Dallas, Melone had the opportunity to work within the company's sales and promotion force whose artist roster at the time included Bob Seger, Duran Duran and The Steve Miller Band, among others. Melone was promoted to a promotion position based in Detroit, Michigan and was fortunate enough to take part in resurrecting the career of Tina Turner to superstar level. Next, the company promoted him to a marketing and publicity position for Capitol/EMI's International Division based at the company's headquarters at the famed Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles, California.
The International Division was the launching ground for the company's efforts to break acts worldwide and an opportunity to work with the various licensing company's throughout the world. Acts there at the time included Diana Ross, David Bowie and Tina Turner. After a stint in television production, Melone joined the Norman Winter/Associates staff, handling Michael Jackson and the Jackson's Victory Tour, Bob Dylan, Morris Day, Eric Burdon, Grammy Award winning producers, Jimmy “Jam” Harris and Terry Lewis, Jesse Johnson, LA & Babyface and others.
He joined Wilkinson/Lipsman Associates, whose talented staff handled a client roster that included Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Sammy Davis, Jr., Fran Drescher and a host of others including Producer/Director Jerry Kramer, who won a Grammy for Michael Jackson's “The Making of Moonwalker.” It was at this time that Melone produced the documentary “And Then There Was One,” the story of the last living member of the world famous “Murderer's Row” 1927 Yankees.
Next, at Public Image PR, as VP of Entertainment, Melone went on to represent such talents as Shelley Duvall and her Think Entertainment, Grammy nominated record producers including Shel Talmy (The Who, The Kinks) and Andre Fischer (Natalie Cole's “Unforgettable”), as well as The Family Channel Television Network who made a splash teaming with George Lucas for his first foray into series television with “Maniac Mansion.”
In 1991, Melone founded the Public Relations firm, Hands On Public Relations & Marketing. The company's success stories include the one and only multiple Grammy award winning legend, Ray Charles, the ground breaking artist, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and comedian turned Grammy nominee and now television star, George Lopez.
Other Hands On clients, past & present include nine time Grammy winner, Gospel great Shirley Caesar, Grammy and Golden Globe winner/New Age guru Kitaro, the Winans Family and the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. In addition to many other record labels and independent projects, Hands On handles publicity duties for the cutting edge DVD corporation, AIX Media Group. Actors & actresses repped by Hands On include individuals from smash films and hit television series including HBO's OZ, NBC's ER, the record-setting feature, Barbershop and one of the stars, Khandi Alexander, from CBS' very popular top 10 series, CSI:Miami.
On the corporate side, the talented staffers at Hands On have enjoyed success representing high profile corporations including Warner/Chappell Music, BMI, ASCAP, and recording companies including Tommy Boy, Epic, Sony and Capitol Records. In the club, restaurant and resort hotel arenas, the company was responsible for the revitalization of classic LA nightspots such as Vertigo nightclub and the venue's award-winning restaurant. Additionally, when the owners of the popular restaurant, Cha Cha Cha were ready to re-launch the popular eatery, Hands On was selected to tackle the task. In Palm Springs, the owners of a Water Park and a Condominium Complex needed a NEW concept to bring together the two entities. The Hands On team went to work with Winter & Associates and the Oasis Water Resort Villa Hotel was born. The popular resort hotel plays host to numerous celebrity events each year, from Volleyball to golf tournaments.
Since their debut, Hands On has been successful in their representation of numerous corporate and high profile clients from the world of music, film, comedy and television.
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