MEET THE BAND

SAM GATTO

Lead singer and keyboardist of 1499, Sam Gatto, smiling at the camera indoors, wearing a dark green long-sleeve shirt, with a wooden doorframe and a 'Laundry' sign in the background.

Sam Gatto is the lead singer and keyboard player for 1499. He is also a worship leader and recording artist.

He started playing piano at the age of five but never took to formal instruction. Music was inside of him. He heard it. And played what he heard. When he was eight, he moved to Mexico with his family and helped develop an off-grid horse ranch for kids in poverty in the middle of the desert. He drove quads through dry riverbeds, caught snakes, and learned to play the drums from a jazz percussionist who spoke only Spanish. During times of worship on the ranch, Sam found his greatest instrument … his voice.

When he returned to the states 10 years later, Sam joined a choir and did some theater on the side. He was hired to lead worship at a local church, then transitioned to a much larger one.

Sam lives in NJ and helps his family with their Recovery Farm bringing deep, authentic worship to teens and adults who struggle with addiction, trauma, and loss.

A few years ago, a small band of incredible musicians came together with a unified heart and a resounding passion for worship, and 1499 was birthed.

1499's lead vocalist, Sam Gatto, playing a red Nord keyboard with sheet music on top, singing into a microphone in a studio with white brick walls and acoustic foam panels.
A band performs on stage: a woman sings into a microphone, a man plays the keyboard, another man plays the bass guitar, and a drummer is behind a drum kit. A large screen displays song lyrics behind them.

GABRIELE HINGELBERG

Lead female vocalist, Gabriele Hingelberg, with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing an orange top and earrings, sitting on a gray chair in a bright room.

Gabriele is the lead female vocalist of 1499, who brings out the cello when the weather is just right.

Gabriele is a gifted musician and teacher, with a degree in Music Education. She is a professionally trained vocalist who instructs over 350 students in five choirs.

A woman singing into a microphone with her eyes closed and one arm extended to the side, performing on stage with purple lighting.
A woman singing into a microphone during a performance, with a keyboard player in the background.

Billy “gags” Gagliardi

A man wearing a black cap and t-shirt playing an acoustic guitar on stage, with microphone and music stand, under warm stage lighting.

Billy is 1499’s lead guitarist. Along with electric guitar, he also plays acoustic, bass, piano, and sings a song here and there.

Billy was hooked on music at the age of six when he attended his first concert to see his cousin Ed Gagliardi, the original bassist of Foreigner (see photo below).

Billy is committed to serving Jesus through worship and enjoys being a sonic architect, using tone and effects as building blocks to great music. He is influenced by the playing styles of U2’s the Edge, John Mayer, Jonny Buckland of Coldplay, and various guitarists from Elevation Worship and Hillsong United.

Billy is a husband, father, and works as a marketing executive for his “day job”.

A man in headphones and a blue jacket playing an electric guitar in a recording studio with soundproofing panels, a music symbol on the wall, and a pedalboard on the wooden floor.
Group of five people, three women and two children, posing together in a casual setting. The women have curly hair and are wearing casual shirts, one with a 'Capital' logo and the other with a 'Pratt' logo. The children are a boy with blond hair and a girl with brown hair. All are smiling or making playful faces.

From left to right: Mick Jones (lead guitar), Ed Gagliardi (Bass), Lou Graham (lead vocals) and Ian McDonald (guitar)

TERRY THOMAS

A middle-aged man with a shaved head and gray beard holding a red musical instrument, likely a bass guitar, over his shoulder. He is wearing a dark, patterned button-up shirt and standing in front of a beige curtain.

The first time Terry heard the Jackson Five as a child, he wanted to learn and play every instrument possible. It started with drums at five and tenor saxophone at twelve. He borrowed his friend’s bass guitar for a year in middle school and learned how to play. As he got older, he had the privilege to tour with a number of bands (concert bands, jazz bands, jazz combos, rock bands) across our beautiful country.

It was an amazing experience, but as he got older and got baptized and saved by Jesus Christ, music had a different purpose in his life. All he wanted to do was serve Jesus through worship and use his gifts God has blessed him with. That was over 25 years ago and his heart condition to serve Jesus remains the same. 1499 has brought a new season of music for him and a revitalization of his spirit in worship.

A bald man with glasses and a beard playing a guitar on stage under bright spotlights.

LUKE CIRAKY

A man wearing headphones sits at a drum set in a colorful music studio, surrounded by recording equipment and wall art.

Luke is the drummer for 1499 and our resident cowboy. The only place you’ll find him online is through the band’s webpage and instagram (the1499_official) as he’s sworn off social media.

Luke is a “jack-of-all-trades” and works as a general contractor. He jumps in as sound guy when the band’s in a pinch.

A man with dark hair and a black cap is working on a digital mixing console with colorful lights, in a dimly lit room.
A man in a cowboy hat playing drums in a restaurant or cafe, next to another person playing an electric guitar.