D
O N B A S S E Y was born in Ann Arbor,
Michigan on July 5, 1951. Don grew up loving Rock’n’Roll---Elvis,
Rick Nelson, Del Shannon,
Dion and the Belmonts, Duane
Eddy, and Buddy Holly, to name a few, were early influences.
Don started playing guitar at age twelve,
beginning with surf music such as Beach Boys, Ventures,
Dick Dale, and the Surfaris. When the Beatles
broke big in the States, Don starting learning as much of
their music as he could, and many of the other popular bands
of the early Sixties caught his ear.
In 9th grade in Portage,
Michigan, Don joined his first band, The Revelations.
Don sang and played guitar, Bill Welch also sang and played
guitar, Dave Maracek was the bass player and Charlie Leeson
was on drums. Dave died in a swimming accident in Florida
a few years later. The Revelations played junior
high school dances and pool parties. Later, Steve
Thomson replaced Bill and Tom Jepson replaced Charlie.
The band was renamed The Rooks.
In 1965 and 1966 Don was in 10th
grade and his band was called 1984 (after the Orwell
novel). Steve Thomson played bass and sang, Don played
guitar and sang, Jim Camp was on drums, Greg Steele played
lead guitar. And George Voss played the Farfisa organ.
Loren Eaton later replaced Greg, 1984 won numerous
“Battles of the Bands.” They also played college plenty
of fraternity parties, clubs, and school dances.
In a life-altering moment, Don, Steve
Thomson, Don’s sister Joy, and her friend Kathy Hahn sat
in the front row at Olympia Stadium in Detroit to see the
Beatles in the summer of 1966. Don’s fate was
sealed after that show.
From the beginning, Don’s parents were
always very supportive of his music. His early bands
frequently rehearsed at the Bassey home. His father’s construction
company van doubled as the band vehicle once Don got his
driver’s license.
In 1966, Don was recruited to replace
Greg Russell, lead singer and bassist in a group of college
guys who called themselves The Upper Hand. Other
members included Bill Hannapel, Phil Long, and Jim Klerk.
The band played lots of college parties and were regulars
at the Timber Ridge Ski Resort.
Don formed the band Tax in 1968
with Jim Camp, Van Vandiver on guitar and vocals, and Dave
Edel on guitar and vocals. Tax played clubs,
school dances, and frat parties.
Don and Neil Harding started The
Sea of Tranquility during the summer of 1969. The
first lunar landing was that summer, hence the band name.
Neil had played in one of Kalamazoo’s finest bands,
Tiers. The area’s top booking agent, Gary Smeltzer,
had managed both Don’s and Neil’s previous bands, and suggested
the partnership both Don and Neil. By coincidence,
Don and Neil phoned each other at the exact same time to
talk about starting a new band, having never spoken before.
They shared a love for Byrds tunes, tight harmony,
and jangly guitars. Van Vandiver signed on to play
guitar and add another voice to the mix, and the late Jim
Klinger from the band, The Library, played drums.
Soon after that, Richard Ruster replaced Van and for a brief
time, Bruce Carr took over for Jim on drums.
Later that same summer, it was decided
to create a new version of the Tiers. Smeltzer
sought to combine elements from some of the top young bands
in Michigan, all of whom were lead singers as well as songwriters.
Along with Neil and Don, original Tiers co-founder
and leader John Blowers rejoined to play guitar, trumpet,
organ, and sing. Mark Hallman, formerly of the Velvet
Machine, was added as the dynamic singing drummer, and finally,
the soaring lead vocals and guitar work of Randy Underwood
from the legendary band the Thyme completed the line-up.
While capitalizing on the name recognition they had earned
as Tiers, it was decided late in 1969 to change the
name of the band to Touchstone. Touchstone
enjoyed considerable popularity for the next two years,
recording one record and playing numerous concerts and festivals
throughout Michigan, including shows at the Grande Ballroom
and the Roostertail in Detroit. They shared the stage
with the Byrds, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper, NRBQ,
Iggy and the Stooges, the Rationals, Brownsville Station,
and many other top acts.
In the spring of 1971, Don became disillusioned
with the direction his career was headed, and left Touchstone.
Later that summer he got together with Bill Hannapel, Greg
Russell, and Jim Camp. Together they put together
a club band, largely for fun and little profit, affectionately
known as Captain Billy’s Whiz Band. They stayed
together until Don joined the Navy in April of 1972.
While stationed in Vallejo, California, Don met his wife Louise. They
still make their home there today, where Louise is a teacher.
Their son Justin is a high school teacher and baseball
coach, and their daughter-in-law Quinn also teaches. Justin
is an accomplished drummer who has performed and recorded
with his father numerous times. Justin will be featured
on some tracks on Don’s forthcoming CD.
After completing a six-year hitch in
the Navy, Don wasted no time aligning himself with musicians
that were ready to get out and work in the San Francisco
area. Tony McDaniel and Nancie Mac, a husband-and-wife
singing and songwriting team, asked Don to join them and
help start a band. With Bobby C. on guitar and vocals
and Paul Grant on drums, Evergreene was formed.
The band worked numerous venues around the Bay Area and
developed a solid following.
After a little more than a year, Don,
Bobby, and Paul left Evergreene and hired Mark Dzugan, a
fine singer and guitarist, to form Kahootz.
They added Keith Laverty, long-time friend of the band and
music aficionado, as their sound engineer and stage manager.
In the spring of ’81 Neil Harding, who had been living and
performing in Texas, moved to California and joined Kahootz.
The band was known for its tight four-part harmony and intricate
guitar work, but they eventually grew apart. Don and
Neil left the band in late ’81 and formed an acoustic duo,
concentrating more on the kind of songs they had played
together in Touchstone. Sadly, Mark was killed
in a car accident in December, returning home from a Kahootz
gig.
In 1980 and ‘81, Don spent many Sunday
evenings jamming with a group of Vallejo musicians at Red’s,
a good old-fashioned pizza-and–beer joint. Doug Strobel,
Dan Bent, John Brazil, Paula Amen-Judah, John Milner, and
the late Will Seibel were all regulars at the Sunday gigs.
A couple of chance meetings at Red’s
led to long and rewarding associations with two of Vallejo’s
finest musicians. Rich Irwin, a local guitarist who
achieved notoriety in the ‘60s Bay Area bands The Torquays
and The Overbook Express, and Guy Arrostuto,
a Vallejo legend on Hammond organ and piano, have partnered
with Don in a variety of musical settings over the years.
Guy was forming a new band to work a steady club gig beginning
New Year’s Eve of ‘81. Don, Kristy Barber (now Juliano),
and drummer Jim Carrington formed Guy and Company.
They worked a five-night-a-week gig for six months straight.
At the same time, Don and Rich were hanging out, sharing
musical ideas, and honing their harmony skills together.
Rich’s expertise in restoring and maintaining vintage Fender
gear continues to benefit Don today, as his vintage amps,
like Don, are aging and in frequent need of repair.
Don and Neil, frequently joined by
Rich, worked two nights a week playing acoustic gigs as
the Twang Brothers until Neil moved back to Michigan
in the spring of ’82. Bobby C. soon took Neil’s spot
in the acoustic setting. Don culled their stage name
from a Michigan band led by Steve Vandenberg and Randy Underwood
in the early ’70s.
Following the end of the Guy and Company
run, Don reunited with Bobby C., Paul and Keith in a revamped
version of Kahootz. Billy Gross had replaced
Don on bass in the last version, so Don switched to guitar.
Skip Doyle had also been added on keyboards.
After a series of club dates, Kahootz
finally broke up in late 1982.
Chronology – 1982 to
2007
Current
Alameda All-Stars.
Over the years, Don has been called to fill the bass slot
when long-time AAS bassist Tom Miller had other commitments.
The Bay Area’s longest-running rock ‘n’ roll carnival,
the All-Stars held their 25-year reunion March 26, 2005.
Band leader Tommy Thompson organized one of the most
amazing nights in the band’s history, with almost forty
past and present members joining the current line-up of
Tommy Thompson, Tom Miller, Mark McGee, and Preston Thrall,
all alumni of the Gregg Allman Band, and featuring Brad
Gillis of Night Ranger, Dan Chauncey of .38 Special, and
Marke “Jellyroll”Burgestahler of the Gregg Allman Band and
the Eddie Money Band.
Daniel Castro.
Daniel is one of the finest guitarists and singers in the
business. His show is always a groove fest, with a
rotating cast of characters that include mainstays T Moran
on drums and Mike Emerson on keyboards. Don has been
a part of a roster of bassists in Daniel’s band that includes
Glade Rasmussen, Artis Joyce, Steve Evans, Burton Winn,
and Kevin White. For the big shows, the Horns of Dilemma,
Michael Peloquin and Tom Poole, add extra punch to Daniel’s
dynamic music.
Jessie Turner.
Along with her husband, drummer/writer Billy Lee Lewis,
nationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Jessie Turner has
put together a dynamic band that features the amazing Pamela
Delgado (Blame Sally) on vocals and percussion, Jon Preuss
and BZ Lewis on guitars, and Don on bass and vocals. Nancy
Hall (Neil Young’s Greendale) is also a frequent guest on
vocals and percussion.
Jessie has
had many rave reviews of her CDs and performances, and is
currently working with the band on a new recording of her
very original tunes.
Ira Marlowe.
Ira’s songs have been described as “four-minute movies.”
His lyrically provocative and melodic tunes have been
interpreted in the studio and on stage by Ira on guitar
and vocals, and his band, which includes Paul Revelli (Angela
Strehli, Joe Louis Walker, Chuck Prophet) on drums, Roger
Linn (Leon Russell) on guitar, and Don on bass. Ira
and the band are currently working in the studio with producer
BZ Lewis on their latest release, due in late in 2006.
Volker Strifler.
The long-time member of the Ford Blues Band has formed his
own band that features his talents as a guitarist, singer
and songwriter. He has long been a respected sideman
to an impressive lineup of other artists such as Robben,
Pat and Mark Ford, Lowell Fulson, Chris Cain and many more.
Don is joined
by award-winning drummer Gary Silva (Elvin Bishop, Albert
Collins, Norton Buffalo) in the VSB rhythm section, and
the killer horns of David Schrader (San Francisco Saxophone
Quartet, A Case of the Willy’s, Shade, the Poyntlyss Sistars)
and Carl Bowers (A Case of the Willy’s, Shade) add the big-band
swagger to Volker’s arrangements. Chip Roland (Steve
Kimmock, Zero) is frequently on-board, adding keyboards
and lap-steel guitar to the mix. The band is currently
performing in support of their 2006 release “The
Dance Goes On”.
1995
Bob
Hopkins and the NHT Story. Bob is the
award-winning lead guitarist for the E-Stock Band and the
Particles, as well as an in-demand recording engineer and
producer. Bob was at a Roadsters gig in 1995 and struck
up a conversation with Don during a band break. It
turned out that Bob was a talented designer as well as a
shredding guitarist, and asked Don to come out and visit
him at his gig designing audio gear at NHT (Now Hear This).
It turns out that the company, which designs and manufactures
award-winning home and professional audio speakers and electronics,
is made up of a bunch of musicians, engineers, and music
junkies. One of its co-founders, Chris Byrne, was
the road manager for Dr. Hook in the Seventies and went
to school with Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Ken
Kantor, Chris’ former partner and NHT-co-founder, is one
of the country’s leading speaker designers, and a talented
musician, producer and engineer in his own right. Ken
produced some memorable tracks featuring Don, Bob, Mike
Kirschmann, Matt Garfein, and Don’s son Justin.
Don was
hired to work in the engineering department soon after his
visit with Bob, and now, ten years later, he’s the Pro Audio
Manager for the company. If a musician has to have
a day job, what could be better than consulting with the
top artists, producers and studio owners on the planet?
The E-Stock Band.
The band members are all employees of NHT, and have been
playing at company parties for years, as well as the monthly
jams at the office. At the 2004 CES convention in
Las Vegas, they played in a “Battle of the Bands” with five
other “corporate” bands and went home with the top prize.
Special guests at the gig were Jeff ”Skunk” Baxter
and Matthew and Gunnar Nelson. The E-Stock Band is:
Don, Bob Hopkins (the Particles), John Johnsen, drummer
for prog-rock band Miles Helm, Mike Kirschmann, leader and
chief songwriter for the Christines, Chris Byrne, Kevin
Frazier (Davey Pattison’s Big Muddy), Jay Doherty (Sinister
Dexter), and Jeff Coates. NHT’s chief acoustical engineer
Jack Hidley is the mastermind behind the band’s sound system.
1994
Steve Gornall.
Kevin Russell introduced Don to fellow Detroit guitarist
Steve in the spring of 1994. For the next ten years,
Don played frequently around Northern California with Steve’s
Blue Collar Blues Band. Don also traveled to Michigan
with Steve numerous times for Detroit–area shows. Don
plays bass and contributes some vocals on Steve’s two Golden
Gate Records releases, “Steppin’ Out,” which also featured
Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Pugh from Robert Cray Band, and the
late Jim Boggio. “Electric Bible of the Blues” featured
Steve’s original drummer from Detroit, Vinnie Scalabrino,
dear departed friend Stu Blank, on piano, and Tom Burke
on Hammond B-3.
There have
been numerous BCBB members over the years, including Paul
Revelli, Tim Kirkhouse, Mike Emerson, Tom Burke, Joel Rudinow,
Lee Enos, Tommy Thompson, Tom Miller, Kevin T. White, Dave
Zimmerman, Vinnie Scalabrino, Kenny Welk, Tim Gornall, Ralf
“Yevo” Jeworowski, and Tom Flisner.
The Blue Collar Blues Band!
Steve, Vinnie & Don - Prairie
Sun Recording, Cotati, CA
Black Jack.
Former Dynatones and Johnny Nitro and the Doorslammers sax
man Tony Perez put together a rockin’ San Francisco club
band in 1995 with Scotty Johnson and Michael Quinn on guitars,
Don on bass and Ed Michaels on drums. Don and Michael
also recorded and performed together in the Michael Quinn
Band. Don met long-time Kevin Russell Band drummer
Mike Vanderhule while working with MQ. It was also
during this time that Scotty and Don formed an alliance
with singer-songwriter Julie (Miller) Medeiros, and producer
Ernie Medeiros.
Little John Chrisley.
Producer Mike Varney called Don to play bass on Little John
Chrisley’s eponymous CD on Varney’s Blues Bureau International
label. Also on the sessions were famed drummer Aynsley
Dunbar, guitarists Michael Lee Ferkins, Scotty Johnson,
Andy Mazilli, Varney, with Stu Blank on keyboards.
Brad Russell played bass on two tracks.
1992
Kevin Russell.
Don first saw the Russell Brothers, Kevin and Brad, perform
along with drummer Andy Doerschuk at the Solano County Fair
in the summer of 1992. After an introduction by music
promoter Scott Foster, Kevin asked Don to sit in at one
of his Tuesday night jams at the Fourth Street Tavern in
Marin County. Brad was moving for L.A for some session
work and touring, so Kevin asked Don to fill in on some
gigs.
Thirteen
years, later, Don and Kevin are still playing together in
the Kevin Russell Band. Along the way, Kevin introduced
Don to producer Mike Varney, which led to the Little John
Chrisley CD sessions, produced Steve Gornall’s “Steppin’
Out,” and hired Don to play bass on a few tracks from his
“Trip to Heaven” CD in 2000.
One of the
benefits of working with Kevin has been the opportunity
for Don to work with some of the best drummers in the business.
Over the years, Kevin Hayes (Robert Cray Band), Mike
Vanderhule (Soulmotor), Billy Lee Lewis (Roy Rogers and
the Delta Rhythm Kings, Tommy Castro Band), Ed Michaels
(Alvin Youngblood Hart), Dean Johnson (Starship, Dick Dale),
and T Moran (Daniel Castro Band) have held the drum chair
in the Kevin Russell Band.
Don
often teamed with Kevin for his Guitar Summits at the legendary
Lou’s Pier 47 in San Francisco. These shows always
attracted big crowds, with Kevin sharing the stage with
some of the Bay Area’s top guitarists. Tommy Castro,
Johnny Nitro, Daniel Castro, Ron Hacker, Chris Cobb, and
Steve Gornall, to name a few, traded licks with Kevin.
Kevin Russell, Dean Johnson and
Don at
Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco.
(photos
courtesy of Richard Brusky)
The Hollywood Blondes.
The legendary Crockett party band hired Don in 1992. Tim
Kirkhouse, Ralph Alvarado, and Tom Mason had some memorable
shows, always staying just under the radar. Tim also
played in Blue Collar Blues Band with Don and Steve Gornall
for many years.
1986
Detroit Disciples.
Don started working with
Paul Burke and Ian McMurray as a founding member this enduring
Sonoma County band. Don had a hand in the development
of many of the McMurray–penned tunes on their first CD “Stare
Down the Dog.” While the line-up around Ian and Paul
has changed often, all of the players, past and present,
have remained great friends and get together frequently
for “reunion” shows. Over the years, Don, his pal
Tom Miller (Alameda All-Stars and Gregg Allman Band), and
Steve Hays have all occupied the Disciples bass chair. Colin
Campbell, Tommy Thompson (Alameda All-Stars and Gregg Allman
Band), Dr. Joel Rudinow (Elvin Bishop), and George Landreth
are all part of the Disciples keyboard army. Jim “Mudslide”
Malcolm, Marke “Jellyroll” Burgstahler (also of the Alameda
All-Stars and Greg Allman Band), Evan Morgan, John Rowe,
and Mark Stevenson have added their guitars to Disciples
studio tracks and live performances.
Don recorded
some of the tracks for the new Detroit Disciples CD “Saving
Grace” with Harry Gale running the ProTools rig at Rte.
44 Studios in Sonoma County. The band is currently
gearing up for shows to support the new CD.
George T. Gregory Band.
George’s sax and vocals were complimented by brilliant guitar
work from Sean Allen and Bobby Crutcher’s drums. Don played
with GTG in the late Eighties.
Guy Arrustuto and Friends II. Guy
Arrostuto, veteran blues artists Johnny “V” Vernazza and
Gary James, and Don held down a few regular gigs in Vallejo,
California in the late-Eighties and again in the early Nineties.
1985
The Roadsters with Bobby Walker.
Don met Bobby Walker, a talented singer/guitarist/drummer
and Michigan transplant, at a Napa, California music store
in 1985. “Bad Bob,” as he was known by his musician
friends, hosted jams at a Napa club on Sundays, so Don showed
up a few times. Bobby has been known for years as
the leader and driving force in The Roadsters. Other
Roadsters stalwarts include John Fittapoldi, Sean Allen,
Arnie Green, Bobby Santa Cruz, Dallen Santos, Jimmy Walker
(no relation) and Jack Vance. Don has been called
many times over the years to fill the bass slot on Roadsters
gigs.
Bobby has
relocated to Texas, where he is enjoying a fine solo career.
The two hooked up in 2002 for a Roadsters reunion
gig, and along with Sean Allen and Willy Jordan, raised
the roof on Downtown Joe’s in Napa.
Don played
bass on two of Bobby’s CDs, “Masque” and “Alone in the Rain.”
The Twang Brothers.
The name came from a band made up some of Don’s old friends
in Michigan. Don, Neil Harding, Rich Irwin, Bobby
C., Steve Trovao, and Lloyd Burchette all logged time in
the West Coast version of the Twang Brothers in the Eighties.
Don, Rich, and Bobby C. still get together occasionally
for acoustic jams and recording projects.
1984
Foxx.
Bobby C. and Don Fox, Steve Trovao, and for a short time,
Nancie on vocals. Don Fox and Nancie left to be married.
Foxx continued as a trio, later to be joined by Bob
Kinney on guitar and vocal.
1983
T&N Express.
Don briefly reunited with
Tony and Nancie Mac in their show band: Don on guitar
and vocals, Armen Boyd, sax, Steve Nelson, drums, Gary Creller,
bass, Oscar Derosier, trumpet and violin.
Guy Arrostuto and Friends.
Don, Rich, and Bobby C.: guitar and vocals, Ed Wheeler:
bass, Gary James: drums (as with Guy, Rich, and Bobby C.,
Don has continued to work with Gary throughout the years).
Frank’s Brother
(Guy’s brother is Frank,
hence the name). Don: bass and vocals, Bobby C. and
Don Fox: guitar and vocals, Steve Trovao: drums.
