New Journey Frontman Has Come A Long Way
— January 23, 2008 3 439The fact that Journey’s new lead singer, Arnel Pineda, is from the Philippines means he is in for one heck of a commute unless he plans to move to the Unites States, but Pineda’s road to fame is a lot longer and more difficult than an airplane trip from Manila to San Francisco.
Once living on the streets of Manila as a result of serious financial problems following his mother’s death, Pineda was able to work his way back from homelessness and is now on the verge of fame and fortune he could only have dreamed about.
Discovered by Journey guitarist Neal Schon on the wildly popular video sharing site, YouTube, the 40-year old singer almost sabotaged the opportunity to join Journey’s ranks when he dismissed Schon’s e-mail as a hoax. I suspect most of us would have had the same reaction. Who would expect an e-mail from a guitarist from one of the world’s best-known classic rock groups?
On the first of February, Pineda will return to the U.S. to begin working with the group on a new album that might be released as early as this summer. It surely sounds like Journey was only lacking a single important element before being able to begin recording new material: A new singer.
Journey is a classic rock group that certainly appears to have a lot of life left in them. They have toured in recent years and with a new album planned for the summer, they are showing no sign of slowing down.
How Journey’s fans react to the new frontman remains to be seen, or course, but as far as the band is concerned, this guy is the real deal and there’s little doubt he has paid his musical dues, as well as the dues that have been demanded of him just to survive.
For more on Arnel Pineda’s amazing story, check out GMA Network.
3 Comments
I think the band Journey is awesome in my opinion. It would be nice if I could meet the band Journey in person and take a picture with them too. Lisa Weiner.
I am very proud and happy that Journey has found a new front man. More proud and happy because he is so talented and a Filipino just like me. My husband and I were riveted to our TV when we happen to see the Journey Concert featuring Arnel Pineda and fantastic he sounded !
Congrats to the group for findng him and wish you all success. We will see you in Florida in march 2015 concer!!!!!
I am so glad Arnel is so humble and so diligent about keeping focused on the music AND his family!!
He will go far … God bless him!!