We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tony Mantor. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tony below.
Tony, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
It took a period of time. By working on projects and building a body of work i was able to see the difference of my work.
I could look back at my earlier projects and know they were done with quality, yet i was able to see my growth and how my career was building with people referring me to others.
Each step of way had its challenges, but i was able to overcome them.
This led me to a greater knowledge of my chosen career.
This allowed me to objectively look at what i was doing.
It also allowed me to know what needed work, what was good, and what was great.
Even though some was great, it still allowed me the ability to pick it apart and still learn how to make it better.
I learned to always be objective and not allow myself to self indulge because we can always be better.
Theres is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
I try to make sure i never cross that line, but still know the work quality is there to be seen.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Tony Mantor
Singer-songwriter, Producer, Pianist, Podcast Host
BIOGRAPHY
Tony Mantor is an established and successful American singer-songwriter, pianist, podcast host and record-charting music producer who is celebrating working in Nashville for more than 30 years. A classically trained pianist at heart since he was eight years old, Tony’s musical journey began in the late 70’s just outside of Madison, Maine where he was born and raised on a dairy farm. Musically inspired by iconic artists like Elvis Presley, Cher and Karen Carpenter, Tony’s piano skills evolved into him writing and performing his own songs. Both as a solo artist and in rock bands throughout his teens and early twenties in his home state of Maine and New England, Tony found a peaceful refuge in music which became his life’s calling.
Tony’s ambitious nature eventually landed him his first real opportunity in 1976, which brought him to Nashville for the first time – performing as a touring sideman for country music sensation Ronnie McDowell. Through that experience, Tony found inspiration to take his own songwriting and production abilities more seriously, and again his ambitious nature began to open more doors and more opportunities. Tony began making regular trips from Maine to Nashville to record his own music. He embedded himself among the established songwriters and music community in the process.
“After touring with Ronnie, and conversations with his manager, I realized I had an ability to pursue my goals within Nashville’s established music business, so I did just that and haven’t looked back since then.” Tony recalled.
As a singer Mantor charted seven songs on Cash Box Magazine’s singles chart, including 1990’s “I’ve Got It All Together Somewhere ” and 1991’s “Don’t Tell My Heart,” both of which he recorded in Nashville.
Inspired by his success as a songwriter Tony decided it was time to go all in on his music career. In 1993 he moved from his home state of Maine to Nashville, and not long thereafter he launched his first company, Plateau Music, where he inevitably uncovered a new love in music; audio production.
“After several conversations with Bob Millsap and Gary Paxton I felt I had the ability and knowledge to produce singers with the goals of recording, releasing to radio and touring.”
After finding this new niche in the music industry, Tony has taken his career in a whole new direction, where he’s produced and recorded music for artists like Debby Campbell (daughter of Glen Campbell), Bobby Brooks Wilson (son of Jackie Wilson), Happy Days star & singer Donny Most, country artist Sam Austin, country artist Mila Mason and others. Through his work with these artists, Mantor has placed 33 songs into the Top 40 and 17 songs into the Top 10 of various U.S. based major music charts including Billboard, Indicator, Mediabase, Cashbox, Heritage chart U.K., & Music Row Magazine.
Tony has also had songs receive great airplay and interviews on radio in the U.K. including multiple regional BBC Radio stations, Radio Scotland, Bondi Tunes, Talk Radio Europe, XPTV1, Showboat TV and others.
His company, Plateau Music, won Label of the Year in 2019 as awarded by U.K.’s Lux Magazine for his work with
Bobby Wilson, the son of legendary soul singer Jackie Wilson.
Jan 2023 he was awarded Manager of the year by CEO magazine for his work with Debby Campbell.
Tony’s name has also been included within official GRAMMY® ballots for Producer of the Year on more than one occasion, a prize he stills believes he is capable of achieving in his career one day with the right artist and the right song.
“I still look forward to each year with new productions that add to my body of work,” Mantor said. “Asking for my peer’s consideration for a GRAMMY is something I will always continue to pursue. In this business, you have to believe in yourself to survive.”
To that point, Tony’s company Plateau Music evolved from a production and development company into an independent record label, where he’s served both emerging and established recording artists of a variety of different music formats and genres from country to AC to R&B since 2005.
Tony was also included in 2006’s documentary film called “The Session Players” outlining the Nashville recording process and the symbiotic songwriting bond between recording artists and producers.
In 2017, Tony began working on a special production that is a tribute to Rhinestone Cowboy Glen Campbell, featuring Glen’s daughter Debby who toured with her father for more than 24 years. Several songs have been released in the UK with a great response and significant airplay at radio.
When time allows, Tony also still works on his own written and recorded music, which he says his primary objective is just to help the world become a better place.
His 2021 single release of his song called “Why Not Me” is one example of how he is doing just that. Taking the song’s namesake and meaning behind it, Tony is preparing to launch a new podcast called “Why Not Me the World” in June 2023 which will focus on topics about Autism awareness, acceptance and understanding. The podcast will feature guest interviews between Tony and celebrities who Autism has touched, other subject matter experts in the field of study, and parents who have or are currently raising autistic children.
“ My hope is my music and desire to help others using my music platform will inspire others to help as well.”
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The ability to work around others that had been in the business helped me gain more knowledge. Actually doing it and learning by making mistakes.
Once learning my craft and knowing what i had to do to be successful, I formed a circle of contacts that i could depend on to help guide me to make the correct decisions.
I would tell others to be very aware of what you want, listen to those that have been succesful, be willing and prepared to put long hard hours towards your career choice.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents were my rock. They supported my career choice, knowing very few actually have success in it.
They gave me good solid advice for a plan B if my choice did not work as i hoped it would.
They gave me good solid advice on work ethics and honesty in ones word.
They set my foundation to believe in myself and know that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it.
They gave me the knowledge to look at something and be willing to walk away from it if i thought it was to good to be true, which is the hardest thing to do in life, especially when something looks like its your path to success.
Trust your gut and i have many times.
Their advice never failed me.
Contact Info:
- Website: tonymantor.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/tonymantor
- Facebook: facebook.com/tonymantor
- Twitter: twitter.com/tonymantor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyMantorMusic
- Other: plateaumsuic.com
Image Credits
Nathan Mantor photgraphy Nashville
