Our Story
Three Chord Bourbon was created to celebrate music, honor those who make it, and remind us of the power of music to bring people together.
What Moves Us
Our portfolio embodies the heart and soul of music.
Three Chord Bourbon is what happens when music kids grow up–but don't grow out of it. We're not here for trophies, tasting notes, or ten-point plans. A Gold Medal here and there is nice and all, but we're here for the ones who still crank it to eleven, pour heavy, and live for the next spark of inspiration.
This brand was built in the shadows of five bars, garage jams, and late-night turntables. The guy behind the scenes? He's got a Grammy and a Hall of Fame plaque, sure–but he's more concerned with whether the track hits than who gets credit. That energy? It's baked into every bottle.
Three Chord is a middle finger to the mundane. We bottle the feeling, not just the bourbon–the goosebumps when the needle drops, the chaos of a basement show, the silence right before the chorus kicks back in.
We don't do polished. We don't do proper. We do passion, poured up. This is for the Dad-bands, the midnight songwriters, the front-row lifers, and the people who still give a damn about what's real. If that's you, welcome to the movement. Three Chord Bourbon is here to help you express, not try to impress.
Founder's Vison
Neil Giraldo
Founder, Creative Director &
Chairman Of The Board
Neil is a professional musician, producer, and film composer with over four decades of experience. A songwriter with a back catalog of more than 100 songs and more than 45 million records sold, he has worked with some of the greatest artists in the music industry, including Rick Derringer, Pat Benatar, John Waite, Kenny Loggins, Steve Forbert, The Del Lords, and Beth Hart. His work has produced many Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning hits, and he holds the distinction of being the first guitar player appearing on MTV. Today, he continues to expand his creative portfolio: in addition to writing new songs for stage and screen, he is writing screenplays for feature films, touring, and reaching out into the community to work with musicians young and old.
Read more about Neil Giraldo HERE.
I grew up surrounded by people who made things with their hands–music, food, drink. You didn't buy creativity. You lived it. That sense of self-reliance and community defined my upbringing. Coming up in Cleveland, the music scene mirrored that ethos. It was about people coming together, making something out of nothing, and building a community through shared experiences.
With Three Chord, I wanted to give people something that felt like that again. Like the music I grew up with, this whiskey isn't just a product; it's a tribute to the artists, musicians, and pioneers who make things with their hands and hearts, and to the people that love and respect what they've made.
– 1979 Rick Derringer Guitars and Women (Piano, Guitar)
– 1979 Pat Benatar In the Heat of the Night (Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals)
– 1980 Pat Benatar Crimes of Passion (Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals) *Grammy Winner
– 1981 Rick Springfield Working Class Dog, “Jessie’s Girl,” “I’ve Done Everything for You” (Producer, Guitars) *Grammy Winner
– 1981 Pat Benatar Precious Time (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals) *Grammy Winner
– 1982 John Waite Ignition (Producer, Guitar, Keyboards)
– 1982 Pat Benatar Get Nervous (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Harmonica) *Grammy Winner
– 1982 Kenny Loggins Don’t Fight It (Arranger, Guitar) *Grammy Nominated
– 1983 Pat Benatar Live From Earth (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Winner
– 1983 Steve Forbert Down in Flames (Producer)
– 1984 Pat Benatar Tropico (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Nominated
– 1985 Pat Benatar Seven The Hard Way (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Nominated
– 1985 Vision Quest Movie Soundtrack (Producer)
– 1986 The Del Lords When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Producer)
– 1988 Pat Benatar Wide Awake in Dreamland (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Nominated
– 1988 The Del Lords Based on a True Story (Producer)
– 1991 Pat Benatar True Love (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar)
– 1993 Pat Benatar Gravity’s Rainbow (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards)
– 1997 The Coors Intimacy (Songwriter)
– 1997 Pat Benatar Inamorata (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals)
– 1999 Pat Benatar Synchronistic Wanderings (Compilation, Producer)
– 2001 NAILED Original film score for the movie, starring Harvey Keitel (Film Composer)
– 2001 Beth Hart “California Dreamin” (Producer)
– 2001 Pat Benatar Summer Vacation Tour Live (Artist, Producer, Guitar, Songwriter, Vocals)
– 2002 Pat Benatar Live at Electric Ladyland (Producer, Guitar)
– 2003 Pat Benatar GO (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocal)
– 2004 SMILE Original film score for the movie, starring Linda Hamilton (Film Composer)
– 2015 Ray Lewis “Baltimore” (Artist, Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards)
– 2015 Pat Benatar “One December Night” (Artist, Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards)
– 2017 Pat Benatar “Shine” (Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Drums)
– 2018 Pat Benatar “Dancin’ thru the Wreckage” Original Documentary Film (Songwriter)
Neil Giraldo was born in 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio. Immersed in the culture of his beloved Sicilian ancestry, his parents Anthony and Angela Giraldo instilled the love of music at a young age, giving Neil his first guitar at the age of six, with the hopes that he and his sister, Priscilla, who played the accordion, could entertain family and friends with songs from the old country after church on Sundays. As Neil got older, his mentor, Uncle Tim, introduced him to revolutionary bands like The Yardbirds, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and all the other great guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll bands of the 1960s. Finding new and innovative ways to shadow path his way into songs, Neil developed a discipline early on of not just playing along to his favorite artists but creating different parts for himself within those tracks. At the same time, the budding guitar artist also became proficient on piano by continuously practicing along to Chuck Berry (Johnnie Johnson), Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis records. His interest in percussion instruments soon followed, practicing the drums to Simon & Garfunkel albums he explored how different rhythms could alter the complexion of songs. These practices and disciplines created the foundation for his future success as an innovative record producer and musician.
Giraldo began his professional career in 1978 as a key member of the Rick Derringer band after competing against 200 other guitarists for the position. It wasn’t long before Rick discovered Giraldo’s piano playing prowess and quickly put those skills to work in the studio for the recording Guitars and Women. In the spring of 1979, Mike Chapman introduced Giraldo to an up-and-coming singer named Pat Benatar who had recently signed to Chrysalis Records. While impressed with the young vocalist, Chapman felt she needed a musical partner who could facilitate the creation of a sound both identifiable and powerful. Over the years Neil has produced some of their biggest hits including “Love is a Battlefield” and “We Belong.”
With a back catalog of more than 100 songs written and more than 45 million records sold, Giraldo has written, produced, arranged, and recorded for Pat Benatar, John Waite, Rick Springfield, Kenny Loggins, Steve Forbert, The Del Lords, Beth Hart, The Coors, and others, which include many Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning hits.
Today, Giraldo’s career is as dynamic and diverse as ever. He is in the process of completing two books – one an autobiographical novel, one a motivational book on the psychology of creating. He is further expanding his Bel Chiasso entertainment company, which is developing a variety of television and film projects. He is performing in a new band project with Scott Kempner from the Del Lords/Dictators and is putting together an all-star band.
And now Giraldo is bringing his creative energy and musical expertise to another project as the founder of Three Chord Bourbon, which uses a blending process to alter and enhance the molecular structure of bourbon, a process he calls Perfectly Tuned Taste. Inspired by music, enhanced by technology, Three Chord Blended Bourbon Whiskey embodies the spirit of creativity and innovation.
Neil Giraldo Discography
– 1979 Rick Derringer Guitars and Women (Piano, Guitar)
– 1979 Pat Benatar In the Heat of the Night (Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals)
– 1980 Pat Benatar Crimes of Passion (Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals) *Grammy Winner
– 1981 Rick Springfield Working Class Dog, “Jessie’s Girl,” “I’ve Done Everything for You” (Producer, Guitars) *Grammy Winner
– 1981 Pat Benatar Precious Time (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals) *Grammy Winner
– 1982 John Waite Ignition (Producer, Guitar, Keyboards)
– 1982 Pat Benatar Get Nervous (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Harmonica) *Grammy Winner
– 1982 Kenny Loggins Don’t Fight It (Arranger, Guitar) *Grammy Nominated
– 1983 Pat Benatar Live From Earth (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Winner
– 1983 Steve Forbert Down in Flames (Producer)
– 1984 Pat Benatar Tropico (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Nominated
– 1985 Pat Benatar Seven The Hard Way (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Nominated
– 1985 Vision Quest Movie Soundtrack (Producer)
– 1986 The Del Lords When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Producer)
– 1988 Pat Benatar Wide Awake in Dreamland (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards) *Grammy Nominated
– 1988 The Del Lords Based on a True Story (Producer)
– 1991 Pat Benatar True Love (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar)
– 1993 Pat Benatar Gravity’s Rainbow (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards)
– 1997 The Coors Intimacy (Songwriter)
– 1997 Pat Benatar Inamorata (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals)
– 1999 Pat Benatar Synchronistic Wanderings (Compilation, Producer)
– 2001 NAILED Original film score for the movie, starring Harvey Keitel (Film Composer)
– 2001 Beth Hart “California Dreamin” (Producer)
– 2001 Pat Benatar Summer Vacation Tour Live (Artist, Producer, Guitar, Songwriter, Vocals)
– 2002 Pat Benatar Live at Electric Ladyland (Producer, Guitar)
– 2003 Pat Benatar GO (Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards, Vocal)
– 2004 SMILE Original film score for the movie, starring Linda Hamilton (Film Composer)
– 2015 Ray Lewis “Baltimore” (Artist, Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards)
– 2015 Pat Benatar “One December Night” (Artist, Producer, Songwriter, Guitar, Keyboards)
– 2017 Pat Benatar “Shine” (Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Drums)
– 2018 Pat Benatar “Dancin’ thru the Wreckage” Original Documentary Film (Songwriter)
Neil Giraldo, Expanded Bio
Neil Giraldo was born in 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio. Immersed in the culture of his beloved Sicilian ancestry, his parents Anthony and Angela Giraldo instilled the love of music at a young age, giving Neil his first guitar at the age of six, with the hopes that he and his sister, Priscilla, who played the accordion, could entertain family and friends with songs from the old country after church on Sundays. As Neil got older, his mentor, Uncle Tim, introduced him to revolutionary bands like The Yardbirds, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and all the other great guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll bands of the 1960s. Finding new and innovative ways to shadow path his way into songs, Neil developed a discipline early on of not just playing along to his favorite artists but creating different parts for himself within those tracks. At the same time, the budding guitar artist also became proficient on piano by continuously practicing along to Chuck Berry (Johnnie Johnson), Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis records. His interest in percussion instruments soon followed, practicing the drums to Simon & Garfunkel albums he explored how different rhythms could alter the complexion of songs. These practices and disciplines created the foundation for his future success as an innovative record producer and musician.
Giraldo began his professional career in 1978 as a key member of the Rick Derringer band after competing against 200 other guitarists for the position. It wasn’t long before Rick discovered Giraldo’s piano playing prowess and quickly put those skills to work in the studio for the recording Guitars and Women. In the spring of 1979, Mike Chapman introduced Giraldo to an up-and-coming singer named Pat Benatar who had recently signed to Chrysalis Records. While impressed with the young vocalist, Chapman felt she needed a musical partner who could facilitate the creation of a sound both identifiable and powerful. Over the years Neil has produced some of their biggest hits including “Love is a Battlefield” and “We Belong.”
With a back catalog of more than 100 songs written and more than 45 million records sold, Giraldo has written, produced, arranged, and recorded for Pat Benatar, John Waite, Rick Springfield, Kenny Loggins, Steve Forbert, The Del Lords, Beth Hart, The Coors, and others, which include many Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning hits.
Today, Giraldo’s career is as dynamic and diverse as ever. He is in the process of completing two books – one an autobiographical novel, one a motivational book on the psychology of creating. He is further expanding his Bel Chiasso entertainment company, which is developing a variety of television and film projects. He is performing in a new band project with Scott Kempner from the Del Lords/Dictators and is putting together an all-star band.
And now Giraldo is bringing his creative energy and musical expertise to another project as the founder of Three Chord Bourbon, which uses a blending process to alter and enhance the molecular structure of bourbon, a process he calls Perfectly Tuned Taste. Inspired by music, enhanced by technology, Three Chord Blended Bourbon Whiskey embodies the spirit of creativity and innovation.
SHARING WITH OTHERS IS AT THE HEART OF THE EXPERIENCE.
We believe in the spirit of community, recognizing the strength and talents of others, as well as offering a helping hand to those less fortunate. We also want to give voice and support to all musicians and artists and share their creativity with others by providing opportunities for them to perform in special events in their area.
We will demonstrate our commitment by designating a portion of Three Chord Bourbon proceeds to assist musicians through a variety of exceptional charities.
We invite you to join us in our efforts.
