Don Bassey

Don Bassey 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 9^th 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 10^th 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 2005

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Marsh 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.

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.

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 rehearsing new material for Volker’s next album, due out in the Fall of 2006.