Dino Pastin BIO
Dino Pastin is a Musician/Composer/Producer/Arranger and Educator who resides in Nashville TN. He grew up in a loving musical family of entertainers in Coraopolis/Robinson Township area, a suburb of Pittsburgh.
He started accordion lessons at the age of FIVE with his Aunt Josie and soon began performing at Family get- togethers and Dance Recitals for the Pastin School of Dance, founded by his parents, Rocky and Geraldine Pastin. He started playing Saxophone in the 5th grade and Piano in 7th grade. After graduating from Montour High School in 1975, Dino majored in Music Education on Saxophone at Duquesne University School of Music In his junior year he transferred to Trevecca University in Nashville TN. That Junior Year at Trevecca became a life changing experience when he made a deeper commitment to Jesus Christ. He then helped to form the Christian band, Crossfire, with his classmates there and decided to stay in Nashville and not return to Pittsburgh to finish his Senior year at Duquesne. In 1980 Dino fell in love and married Janna Hershberger who was a singer in the band. Crossfire then toured with the Christian artist, Randy Mathews and later Dino toured with Andrus, Blackwood & Co. while Janna toured as a backup singer for Amy Grant. Dino and Janna ended up touring together again with Christian artist, Ric Cua, from the Outlaws Band.
1982: Dino began touring with Country Music Artist, Tommy Overstreet then Vern Gosdin.
1983: He began playing in world famous Printer’s Alley with the Dianne Sherrill Band(later named) Desperado Band and spent the next 4 years performing in the Nashville music nightlife community. In the daytime he would do studio recording sessions on Music Row with many artists and some famous personalities such as: Miami Vice star Phillip Michael Thomas (Tubbs) and the singer Tiny Tim then he would go paint houses, steam clean carpets or lay hardwood flooring with his own painting company and many times play local club gigs afterwords until 2:00am, some with Janna singing also.
P.2 – Dino Pastin - Bio
1987: Dino joined the Barbara Mandrell Band and as a Do-Rite band member, He toured and recorded Saxophones, Vibraphone, Harmonica, and Accordion on her acoustic album “Acoustic Attitude” and was invited to perform at the White House twice. While performing with the (three time) “Entertainer of the Year” recipient Mandell, Dino performed on nearly all of the Award Shows, Late Night Shows, The Grand Ole Opry, and was even joined by Gladys Knight and CeCe Winans in concert on special occasions.
1997: After Barbara retired, Dino joined the two time “Entertainer or the Year” supergroup Alabama where they toured and recorded together for 7 years. During this time he recorded a double Album with the famous Gomer Pyle character, actor Jim Neighbors
2004: After Alabama retired, Dino and Janna became Senior Music Pastors at a multi-ethnic church, Bethel World Outreach Center in Brentwood TN where the church had grown into a megachurch with 5 different sites totaling 3-4000 members at one time in the Nashville area. Bethel would meet at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville once a month to gather the 5 sites together. He met Donna Summer and Michael Omartian who were attending their church and all ended up working together on some projects.
2013: Dino became an Adjunct Professor at Trevecca University teaching Piano Proficiency along with tutoring private saxophone, flute and piano at the prestigious Montgomery Bell Academy (the school that inspired the DEAD POET’S SOCIETY film)
Dino now: teaches Piano, Saxophone, Accordion and Harmonica online and is developing a music course that helps explain the Nashville Number System and mindset, comparing the different conventional chart systems and theories nationwide, ultimately helping any level of musician to quickly understand the forms and patterns of songs, making it easier to teach and learn improvisation.
P.3 – Dino Pastin - Bio
Extra stuff: not necessary, just thinking out loud.
Dino Uses: Cannonball Saxes
Baldoni Accordions
Hohner Harps
Korg and Yamaha Keys
Rico Royal 2 1/2 reeds
Jody Jazz Super Jet mouthpieces: Tenor, Alto Soprano, Bari
Jumbo Java mouthpiece: Tenor
Spinstrap --- Sax strap
LP percussion
DAD: built his own house from the footer on up. Mostly by himself. Never had a house payment.
He started accordion lessons at the age of FIVE with his Aunt Josie and soon began performing at Family get- togethers and Dance Recitals for the Pastin School of Dance, founded by his parents, Rocky and Geraldine Pastin. He started playing Saxophone in the 5th grade and Piano in 7th grade. After graduating from Montour High School in 1975, Dino majored in Music Education on Saxophone at Duquesne University School of Music In his junior year he transferred to Trevecca University in Nashville TN. That Junior Year at Trevecca became a life changing experience when he made a deeper commitment to Jesus Christ. He then helped to form the Christian band, Crossfire, with his classmates there and decided to stay in Nashville and not return to Pittsburgh to finish his Senior year at Duquesne. In 1980 Dino fell in love and married Janna Hershberger who was a singer in the band. Crossfire then toured with the Christian artist, Randy Mathews and later Dino toured with Andrus, Blackwood & Co. while Janna toured as a backup singer for Amy Grant. Dino and Janna ended up touring together again with Christian artist, Ric Cua, from the Outlaws Band.
1982: Dino began touring with Country Music Artist, Tommy Overstreet then Vern Gosdin.
1983: He began playing in world famous Printer’s Alley with the Dianne Sherrill Band(later named) Desperado Band and spent the next 4 years performing in the Nashville music nightlife community. In the daytime he would do studio recording sessions on Music Row with many artists and some famous personalities such as: Miami Vice star Phillip Michael Thomas (Tubbs) and the singer Tiny Tim then he would go paint houses, steam clean carpets or lay hardwood flooring with his own painting company and many times play local club gigs afterwords until 2:00am, some with Janna singing also.
P.2 – Dino Pastin - Bio
1987: Dino joined the Barbara Mandrell Band and as a Do-Rite band member, He toured and recorded Saxophones, Vibraphone, Harmonica, and Accordion on her acoustic album “Acoustic Attitude” and was invited to perform at the White House twice. While performing with the (three time) “Entertainer of the Year” recipient Mandell, Dino performed on nearly all of the Award Shows, Late Night Shows, The Grand Ole Opry, and was even joined by Gladys Knight and CeCe Winans in concert on special occasions.
1997: After Barbara retired, Dino joined the two time “Entertainer or the Year” supergroup Alabama where they toured and recorded together for 7 years. During this time he recorded a double Album with the famous Gomer Pyle character, actor Jim Neighbors
2004: After Alabama retired, Dino and Janna became Senior Music Pastors at a multi-ethnic church, Bethel World Outreach Center in Brentwood TN where the church had grown into a megachurch with 5 different sites totaling 3-4000 members at one time in the Nashville area. Bethel would meet at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville once a month to gather the 5 sites together. He met Donna Summer and Michael Omartian who were attending their church and all ended up working together on some projects.
2013: Dino became an Adjunct Professor at Trevecca University teaching Piano Proficiency along with tutoring private saxophone, flute and piano at the prestigious Montgomery Bell Academy (the school that inspired the DEAD POET’S SOCIETY film)
Dino now: teaches Piano, Saxophone, Accordion and Harmonica online and is developing a music course that helps explain the Nashville Number System and mindset, comparing the different conventional chart systems and theories nationwide, ultimately helping any level of musician to quickly understand the forms and patterns of songs, making it easier to teach and learn improvisation.
P.3 – Dino Pastin - Bio
Extra stuff: not necessary, just thinking out loud.
Dino Uses: Cannonball Saxes
Baldoni Accordions
Hohner Harps
Korg and Yamaha Keys
Rico Royal 2 1/2 reeds
Jody Jazz Super Jet mouthpieces: Tenor, Alto Soprano, Bari
Jumbo Java mouthpiece: Tenor
Spinstrap --- Sax strap
LP percussion
DAD: built his own house from the footer on up. Mostly by himself. Never had a house payment.
- Type of Renaissance man (Joined Coast Guard@17 went to Philippines, then Merchant Marines in Greenland,
- Pro boxer, Played tenor sax and vibes, Trophy winning dancer, Invented a lawnmower blade, Mower Mechanic to Maintenance Agreement Sales Promotion Manager at Sears
- Always studied & would drag us to the library.
- She helped dad build the house
- My first memories as a child was watching her chip 10,000bricks. (scar on my arm from falling)
- Assisting dad basically as a bricklayer then take care of Rocky and I.
- We first lived in the basement while the next level was being completed.