Rick Beato

Early Life and Musical Foundation

Rick Beato was born Richard John Beato on April 24, 1962, in Fairport, New York, a suburb located about nine miles east of Rochester^[1]. Growing up in a highly musical family environment, he was the sixth of seven children, with two sisters and four brothers^[1]. His early exposure to music came through his older sisters, who introduced him to the rock music of the 1960s, while his mother's siblings and father were musicians and music teachers^[1].cnn Beato began his musical journey at age seven with the cello, later switching to double bass at 13, and picking up guitar at 14, initially learning by ear before receiving formal training from a neighbor who owned a local music store^[1]. After graduating from Fairport High School in 1980, he pursued classical bass studies at Ithaca College, earning a bachelor of arts degree^[1]. He continued his education at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he obtained a master's degree in jazz guitar in 1987^[1]^[2].youtubers+1

Academic and Early Professional Career

Following his graduate studies, Beato returned to Ithaca College, where he taught as a professor for five years from 1987 to 1992, focusing on jazz studies and orchestral instruction^[3]. During this period, he also performed jazz gigs to supplement his income as a college professor^[3]. His academic credentials and teaching experience extended to other prestigious institutions, including the University of Alabama and Berklee College of Music, where he has served as a lecturer on music theory and composition^[4]^[5]. youtubewikipedia+1 The recession of 1990 in Ithaca affected his jazz performance opportunities, leading him to explore rock music production when a friend invited him to work on recording demos^[3]. This transition marked a pivotal moment in his career trajectory, eventually leading him away from academia and toward the music production industry^[3]. youtube

Music Production and Studio Work

In 1995, Beato established Black Dog Sound Studios in Stone Mountain, Georgia, just outside Atlanta^[6]^[7]. The studio, built as a 4,000 square-foot addition to his suburban home, became his primary base of operations for record production^[8]. Working alongside engineer Ken Lanyon, Beato developed a reputation for producing rock and country acts, with Lanyon handling engineering duties while Beato focused on production^[8]. youtube+1vidiq His production work achieved significant commercial success, most notably with Shinedown's debut album "Leave a Whisper" in 2004, which sold 1.7 million copies and earned him a Platinum Record^[9]. He also produced two albums for Needtobreathe – "The Outsiders" (2009) and "The Reckoning" (2012) – both of which won Dove Awards in the Best Rock/Contemporary category^[9]. Additionally, he co-wrote "Carolina" with the band Parmalee in 2013, which reached number one on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and has sold over one million copies^[10]^[11]. youtubeculturesonar+1

YouTube Success and Everything Music

Beato's entry into YouTube began somewhat accidentally in 2015, initially creating videos without professional equipment or expectations of success^[12]. His breakthrough came from a video featuring his son Dylan demonstrating perfect pitch abilities, which went viral with approximately 22 million views across various platforms^[13]^[14]. This unexpected success prompted him to develop his YouTube channel more seriously, launching "Everything Music" on June 8, 2016^[15]. youtube+1youtube+1 As of October 2025, Beato's main YouTube channel has accumulated over 5.25 million subscribers and more than 1.48 billion total views^[16]^[17]. The channel features diverse content including music theory lessons, song analysis, artist interviews, and his popular "What Makes This Song Great?" series^[18]. His secondary channel, "Rick Beato 2," has attracted nearly 980,000 subscribers with shorter-form content and highlights^[19].reddit+3

Signature Series and Educational Content

Beato's influence in the guitar community led to a unique collaboration with Gibson Guitars, resulting in the release of Rick Beato Signature Les Paul Special Double Cut models^[20]^[21]. The guitars feature a double cutaway body design that is slightly thinner than standard models, P-90 pickups, and distinctive finishes including TV Blue Mist and Sparkling Burgundy Satin^[20]^[21]. This makes him one of the few non-performing artists to receive a Gibson Artist Series signature guitar^[22].hypeauditor+2 His educational offerings include "The Beato Book Interactive," a comprehensive digital music theory textbook featuring over 500 pages of content with integrated video and audio examples^[23]. He has also developed the "Beato Ear Training Method" and other instructional courses covering topics from beginner guitar to advanced music theory and songwriting^[23].reddit

High-Profile Interviews and Media Presence

Beato has conducted notable interviews with legendary musicians including Sting, David Gilmour, Brian May, Stewart Copeland, and John Fogerty^[24]^[25]^[26]. His interview style focuses specifically on musical and technical aspects rather than personal drama or controversy, which has earned him respect from artists who often avoid traditional media appearances^[27]. Musicians appreciate his technical knowledge and preparation, often resulting in more substantive discussions about their craft and creative processes^[27].musicradar+3 In February 2025, Beato appeared as a guest on Rick Rubin's "Tetragrammaton" podcast, where he discussed his musical background, perfect pitch discoveries with his son, and the evolution of his YouTube career^[28]^[29]. The interview highlighted his transition from traditional music industry roles to becoming one of YouTube's most respected music educators^[28].youtube+1