During the course of 40+ years, while continuing to record, perform and tour the world with The Tubes (15 albums and world tours) Prairie Prince performed and recorded with many of his heroes and fellow artists alike, and fulfilled many desires to execute various drum techniques in a wide variety of musical styles.
In the early 70’s Prairie worked with legendary pianist, Nicky Hopkins, recording two albums with musicians such as George Harrison, Mick Taylor, Ron Wood, Ray Cooper and Klaus Voormann, among others. Prince started the band Journey with Neal Schon and Gregg Rollie shortly after and recorded the demos that got them their first contract. Prince opted not to join the band on a permanent basis for his dedication in The Tubes. After session work with Tommy Bolin, Brewer and Shipley and others in the 70’s, the 80s’ brought work with Chris Isaak and he played drums on his first four albums.
The 90’s brought live performances with Tom Waits. Prairie was the drummer on legendary “King of the Surf Guitar” Dick Dale’s 3 CDs. Then Prince became the full-time drummer for the re-formed “Jefferson Starship” featuring original members Paul Kantner, Marty Balin, Jack Casady and Papa John Creach. After 4 CDs and several world tours he bowed out as their full-time drummer in 1998 but continued to perform as their international gig drummer.
In 2006 Prince toured with The New Cars featuring Todd Rundgren as the lead singer, bassist Kasim Sulton, and original The Cars guitarist Elliot Easton and keyboardist Greg Hawkes.
Prince continues to perform and tour with The Tubes and Todd Rundgren.
VISUAL ARTVisual Art has always been a huge component In Prairie’s life. He’s painted murals, designed stage sets and have a thriving business creating custom finishes on drums, guitars, motorcycles and vehicles.
Early in his career he teamed up with Michael Cotten (former Tubes member) to create Cotten/Prince, an artistic design partnership. They combined their art expertise and worked with The Tubes choreographer Kenny Ortega (Dirty Dancing, High School Musical) to collaborate as the artistic team responsible for devising the production design and theatrical staging for The Tubes live shows and videos. They also designed the album covers and graphic design for the band.
They also came up with a style and air-brush technique which allowed to design and paint some of the world’s largest murals.
One of their most famous murals was the “Flying Records” on the exterior of the A&M Records building in Hollywood, Ca. The mural’s demise was mourned by many in the music community, Jerry Moss, founder of A & M Records. The destruction of the mural was documented in a 2012 NPR interview.
Their artistic vision and ability to produce innovative and artistic projects led to working for the world’s top live performers, high-end retailers and companies around the world.
Working with longtime collaborator Kenny Ortega they created set and stage design for some of the world’s biggest musical touring acts (Michael Jackson, Shania Twain, Bonnie Raitt, Gloria Estefan, Bette Midler, The Tubes and Todd Rundgren).
They also collaborated on the Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games and the Super Bowl XXX Half-Time Show, starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson’s 1997 “History” tour and “This Is It.”
Prince is also the Artistic Director of MouthMan, a company founded with Ross Valory, founding member and bassist of Journey. They’ve designed a line of shirts where graphic designs of jaws and teeth on the sleeves form a mouth when the wearer “hugs themselves”.
And don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family business… available now at amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!
Eddie Turner has done just about everything. A guitarist since age 12, he honed his skills alongside San Francisco's legendary Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth in the '70s and Denver's hard-hitting Zephyr in the '80s, before becoming a founding member of the Otis Taylor Band in the '90s and then earning a prestigious Blues Music Award nomination for his own solo career in the mid-2000s.
The Denver-based guitarist, singer and bandleader has toured the world, garnering countless fans and an outpouring of critical acclaim in the process.
But "Naked ... In Your Face" marks a first for Turner, who has never before released an in-concert recording. The title tells you all you need to know: No shrinking violet of a live album, this varied, vibrant set finds the musician at his most stylistically audacious, crossing boundaries with the same brazen confidence he's shown throughout his career. Recorded last August at The Blues Can in Calgary, Alberta, during a tour of Canada and the western United States, the album features Turner in a power-trio format. Joining him are bassist Anna Lisa Hughes, a fellow Denver resident who sings lead on several cuts here, including covers of classics such as "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "Buried Alive in the Blues" as well as her original composition "Mistreated," and drummer Kelly Kruse, an in-demand sideman in Canada who also plays guitar with Calgary's Adele & the Krusers.
"I still get emails saying, 'That was one of the best bands I've ever seen. When are you going to tour again?'" says Turner. "And I loved the way Anna Lisa's voice and mine meshed together. The three of us came together and threw all our influences into a pot, ending up with something that's completely different. I wanted to record songs that, without this particular band, I'll probably never do again."
Fitting for a man who grew up outside of Chicago watching iconic blues figures such as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf ply their trade -- but also seeing acts like Jimi Hendrix and Cream take the music to new, more rock-influenced directions -- Turner has developed a sound that's informed by tradition yet adventurous enough to not be limited by it. As the man himself puts it, "If you want to be a purist, be one not because you started there and stopped there. Be one because you went everywhere else and decided to come back. Because no music is truly pure. Everything has a little dirt in it."
2011 Blues Blast Nominee " BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES CD "
2006 BMA " BEST NEW ARTIST " Nominee 10th Annual Independent Music Awards Nominee BEST BLUES SONG
"If anybody ever went down to the Crossroads and let the Devil tune hisguitar it was probably Eddie Turner. Man, you get chills every time the guystrikes a note! And the expressions he makes while he's talking out eachlick leave one convinced he's channeling other-worldly ancestral demi-gods."
NAKED ... IN YOUR FACE
BY EDDIE TURNER & TROUBLE TWINS
AVAILABLE ATAMAZON.COM
E D D I E
'D E V I L B O Y'
T U R N E R
INTERVIEWED ON
THE RAY SHASHO SHOW
BBS RADIO
CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN
And don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family business available now at iuniverse.com and amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!
JOCK BARTLEY is known for his melodic, tasteful and fiery lead guitar style, influencing many rock and country rock guitarists.
Leaving college to pursue music, he joined the Boulder-based band ZEPHYR, replacing Tommy Bolin as lead guitarist (who joined the James Gang and later, Deep Purple before his untimely death in 1977). Months after the “Sunset Ride” album came out, Zephyr broke up. In 1972, Jock was asked to join the touring band of GRAM PARSONS & THE FALLEN ANGELS, featuring EMMY LOU HARRIS. Gram had joined the BYRDS on the ground breaking “Sweetheart of the Radio” album, formed THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. with CHRIS HILLMAN and was a pioneer of the new musical genre, “country rock.” The Fallen Angels tour made many memorable stops from Texas to Boston, including a show in Houston where Neil Young and Linda Ronstadt sat in onstage (Emmy Lou and Linda met that night and sang together for the first time). At Max’s Kansas City in New York City, Jock met Boulder resident, Rick Roberts, who’d replaced Gram in the Burrito Bros. and had two solo albums out.
In 1974, Rick and Jock began jamming in Boulder with MARK ANDES, bassist from the progressive L.A. bands, SPIRIT and JO JO GUNNE. When LARRY BURNETT arrived from Washington D.C., FIREFALL was formed. A few months in, drummer MICHAEL CLARKE (formerly of the Byrds and Flying Burrito Bros.) joined the band. Rick, Mark and Jock were on tour with Chris Hillman on the east coast when Chris became ill – Larry and Michael were flown in and FIREFALL finished the engagement at the Bitter End in NYC, where Atlantic Records came to hear, soon signing them to a long-term recording contract. DAVID MUSE joined the band in rehearsals with producer, JIM MASON. Firefall recorded their first album at Criteria Studios in the winter of 1975, during which his guitar hero, ERIC CLAPTON, was in the control room while Jock played the one-take lead guitar track on ‘Mexico.’ “It was a good thing I didn’t know he was watching, I wouldn’t have been able to hold my pick or play one note.”
Jock has played on stage with artists including Stephen Stills, Neil Young, The Doobie Bros., Dan Folgelberg, Journey, Heart, Poco, John Mayall and many many others. He is a spokesperson for Suicide Prevention, having worked with the American Association of Suicidology and the Kristin Brooks Hope Center to put on benefit concerts to raise awareness, help fund the first national crisis line, (800) SUICIDE) and save lives. He’s also involved with ’causes’ including child abuse, domestic violence, burn victims’ camps, environmental issues and others. Jock is a record producer, travels frequently to Nashville to write songs and give seminars on creativity and songwriting for the Nashville Songwriters Ass. and the Songwriter’s Guild. He endorses Paul Reed Smith Guitars and Takamine Guitars. He has produced an acclaimed instructional songwriting video called ‘The Complete Guide To Songwriting – How To Write A Song.”
Jock has been a painter and fine artist since childhood but only since 2001, has he gotten serious about his ‘new’ art career. His colorful paintings and pastels, in a wide variety of subjects, have begun receiving wide critical and public acclaim. His work has been exhibited in art galleries in Denver and Vail, Colorado and Reno, Nevada with more to come. Perching a few shows featuring ‘Rock & Roll artists,’ his paintings have hung next to John Lennon lithos and paintings by Ron Wood (Rolling Stones), Grace Slick and others. In 2006, four of his Beatles paintings appeared in a nationally released coffee table book, ‘Beatles Art – Fantastic New Artwork of The Fab Four.’ Jock’s paintings and prints were included in the Denver Children’s Hospital benefit “Rockers For Kids” featuring art by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Mellencamp, Jerry Garcia, David Bowie, Ron Wood, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, R. Crumb and others.
Band Members:
·Jock Bartley - Lead & acoustic guitar, vocals (Original member)
·Mark Andes - Bass guitar, vocals (Original member)
And don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family business … available now at amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!
Heart, Spirit, Firefall, Canned Heat, Stevie Nicks, Dan Fogelberg, Whitesnake, Jo Jo Gunne, Chris Hillman, Kim Carnes, Joe Walsh and so many more legendary bands and artists have all relied on the brilliant musicianship of MARK ANDES to punctuate their songs and elevate their musical visions to chart-topping status. Andes has been the rock-solid support on bass guitar, songwriting and vocals for all the above. and others too.
MARK ANDES has enjoyed a musical career spanning over four decades of groups generating gold and platinum albums and world-wide impact! He is one of the most respected and loved bass players on the planet.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Mark was a founding member of such cutting-edge bands as Canned Heat and Spirit while still a teenager. Spirit is still considered by many in the U.S and abroad, to be the first band to successfully fuse jazz and rock with protest, folk-like lyrics and is known as a progressive rock innovator. Their four albums (Spirit, The Family That Plays Together, Clear, and The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus released from 1967-1970) all are propelled by the visionary rhythm section of Mark Andes and Ed “Cass” Cassidy and include radio staples such as “Got A Line On You” and “Nature’s Way.” Spirit toured with top 1960s bands including Led Zeppelin (who were heavily influenced by Spirit), Jimi Hendrix (who played with guitarist Randy California in the group ‘Jimmy and the Blue Flames’), The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds, Steppenwolf, Janis Joplin and so many others.
Mark and Spirit’s lead vocalist Jay Ferguson went on to form the hard rockin’ Jo Jo Gunne (which also included Mark's brother, Matt Andes) and quickly scored a top-30 hit with the infectious “Run Run Run”.
Mark then moved on to the mountains above Boulder, Colorado and for a short time was in two bands there, Firefall and Navarro (soon to be Carole King’s backup band). During a brief tour with the Chris Hillman Band (that included Rick Roberts & Jock Bartley), Chris became ill and Firefall finished the 3-day stint in NYC where Atlantic Records heard the band; within the month, they signed the band to a long-term recording contract and it was off to the races.
In Firefall, Mark was paired with drummer Michael Clarke (from the Byrds and Flying Burrito Bros.) and a very solid and distinctive rhythm section was formed: Mark’s progressive and melodic bass style enhanced Michael’s straight-ahead drumming. Playing with guitarist Jock Bartley and multi-instrumentalist, David Muse, Firefall’s sound became much more than the ‘country rock’ style they were often cast as. The Colorado-based group enjoyed huge success right from the start in 1976, receiving nationwide saturation radio airplay and touring with the top bands of the day: Fleetwood Mac Rumors Tour, The Band (on their final tour before making ‘The Last Waltz’ and breaking up), Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Doobie Brothers (with Michael McDonald), Loggins and Messina, Heart, Cheap Trick, The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, America, Kenny Loggins and many others.
He left Firefall in 1979.
In 1982, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson recruited Mark where he co-wrote their return-to-radio hit “How Can I Refuse” in 1983 infusing creative bass rhythm and vocals. Mark Andes’ musical talent, as well as his good looks, made the group one of the original MTV darlings. Heart’s vibrant comeback to industry prominence was on! After the band moved to Capitol Records in 1985, they made the album simply called ‘Heart’ That album reached Number One, sold five million copies and launched four Top Ten hit songs: “What About Love” (#10), “Never” (#4), “These Dreams” (#1) and “Nothin’ At All” (#10). A fifth single, “If Looks Could Kill” also charted making five hit singles from the same album for the first time. Mark Andes' 10-year stint with Heart from 1982 to 1992, was dotted with multi-platinum albums, No. 1 chart topping hit singles, award winning videos and non-stop arena headlining tours worldwide.
MARK ANDES rejoined Firefall in January 2014 and looks forward to helping Firefall play relevant, compelling shows and recording new records. On January 9, 2015 in Denver, CO, FIREFALL and MARK ANDES were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, along with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Poco and Stephen Stills and Manassas.
WELCOME to a very special edition of The Ray Shasho Show. Today we Honor & Remember ‘The Life & Music’ of legendary guitarist, singer and songwriter TOMMY BOLIN. And to help us relive those incredible and historic events… We will feature three very special guests … Joe Vitale and Kenny Passarelli of ‘Joe Walsh and Barnstorm’ and music journalist Trace Keane.
But first here is a little background about Tommy Bolin and our special guests …
Tommy Bolinwas born in Sioux City, Iowa and began playing in bands around the city as a youth before moving to Boulder, Colorado in his late teens. He played with American Standard before joining Ethereal Zephyr, named after a train that ran between Denver and Chicago. When record companies became interested, the name was shortened to Zephyr. The band featured Tommy on guitar, David Givens (bass), and Givens' wife Candy (vocals). They produced two albums with Tommy and began performing larger venues, opening for more established acts such as Led Zeppelin.
In 1972 Tommy, aged 20, formed Energy, a fusion jazz-rock-blues band which featured Stan Sheldon (bass), Bobby Berge (drums), Tom Stevenson (keyboards) and Jeff Cook (vocals) who shared writing credits with Tommy over throughout his career. While the band never released an album during his lifetime, several recordings have been released posthumously. Around this period, he was invited to play on Billy Cobham's (ex Mahavishnu Orchestra) highly acclaimed Spectrum album (1973), with Tommy on guitar, Cobham (drums), Leland Sklar (bass) and Jan Hammer (keyboards). The album allowed Tommy to reach a far wider audience, and to this day, is considered one of his career highs. Jeff Beck reportedly was so impressed, he went down a similar path – ‘Stratus’ is a regular on his current concert set list. Of note, ‘Stratus’ was also sampled by Massive Attack on their 1991 track, ‘Safe from Harm’.
Reportedly, at Joe Walsh's recommendation, Tommy joined the James Gang in 1973. He recorded two albums, Bang! in 1973 and Miami in 1974.
Tommy signed with Nemperor Records to record ‘Teaser’, his 1975 debut solo album. Musicians included; David Foster, David Sanborn, Jan Hammer, Stanley Sheldon, Phil Collins and Glenn Hughes. While recording Teaser, he was contacted to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple.
A year earlier Blackmore had mentioned in an interview that Tommy was ‘the only American guitarist worth listening to’. But, it was apparently on the recommendation of David Coverdale – Purple's then current vocalist, that he was invited to audition for the band in July 1975. The job was immediately his. Contracts were quickly drawn up between managements allowing Tommy to continue his solo career during Purple's downtime. The band relocated to Munich to begin work on a new album. ‘Come Taste the Band’ was released in late 1975 (around the same time of the release of ‘Teaser’) with Tommy writing or co-writing seven of the album's nine tracks.– the group disbanded in March 1976.
Tommy returned to the States to record his second solo album, Private Eyes, released September 1976. He then went on the road to promote the album with a rotating cast of players which included Narada Michael Walden, Mark Stein, Norma Jean Bell, Reggie McBride and Jimmy Haslip. The tour, which saw him opening for Peter Frampton and Jeff Beck, proved to be his last. His last performance was at the Jai Alai stadium in Miami December 3, 1976 where he opened for Beck. Ironically his last song was ‘Post Toastee’ – a song warning of the dangers of addiction. A day later, Tommy was pronounced dead from a drug overdose. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa … Tommy Bolin was only 25 years old.
Joining us today to help share the life and music of Tommy Bolin is …
JOE VITALE … is a veteran musician and drummer whose career has spanned over forty years of touring, recording, song writing, and producing with legendary and Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame artists. Along with vocals, he also plays percussion, keyboards and flute. His drumming encompasses all styles of music. A dedicated professional, his quality of performance is evident in his resume.
He has recorded and toured with Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and CSNY to name a few. In addition, he has recorded with Rick Derringer, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Van Morrison, Carl Wilson, Don Felder, Boz Scaggs, John Entwhistle and many others.
Joe Vitale’s songs & performances have appeared in many movies & TV: Spy Games, Joe Dirt, the 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Warriors, Devil’s Rejects, Beverly Hillbillies, History of the Eagles, Fringe, that 70’s Show, just to name a few.
Vitale has also co-produced albums for Joe Walsh, Stephen Stills, CSN & CSNY. His many songwriting credits include the classic Joe Walsh song, “Rocky Mountain Way,” and also, “Pretty Maids All in a Row,” from The Eagles classic album, “Hotel California,” both co-written with Joe Walsh.
He has three solo albums, “Roller Coaster Weekend,” “Plantation Harbor,” and “Speaking in Drums,” and a book, “Back Stage Pass,” about his career in music. He’s also produced his son, Joe Jr.’s, first album, “Dancing with Shadows.”
In 2010 and 2011 Joe played drums for the historic “Buffalo Springfield Reunion”
Joe continues to tour, record, write and produce. He's also added to his resume, counselor and music director at Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp. He has no plans for slowing down.This year will be Joe's first appearance at The Tommy Bolin Music Festival.
Joe came to Tommy Bolin's funeral with Joe Walsh.
You can read more about Joe on his website: Visit www.joevitaleondrums.com for more information
ALSO, ON THE SHOW IS KENNY PASSARELLI … Kenny was born in Denver, Colorado … A meeting with Stephen Stills changed his life forever. Kenny was impressed by Stills, and who wouldn’t be? Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young was producing some of the most amazing music. Kenny recalls this introduction, “I was introduced to a guy that owned a local music store that knew Stephen Stills. He took me up to Goldhill, which was a place in Colorado that Stephen spent a lot of time.” Stills took a liking to Kenny and played him some tracks that Stills had been working on. Stills then played Kenny a rough version of Carry On, and Kenny was simply blown away.
Shortly thereafter, Kenny was slated to join Stills at Woodstock, but a bout with hepatitis ended his dreams with sudden swiftness. In the summer of 1971, Kenny got his first big break. > He received an invitation from Joe Walsh to join Barnstorm. Kenny recalls that Joe was the person responsible for his getting involved with the fretless. Joe received one of the very first fretless P-Basses and gave it to Kenny. Though intimidated at first, Kenny eventually made it his trademark, and started to get a great deal of session work because of it. Kenny worked with some of the best … Russ Kunkel, Joe Vitale, Dan Fogelberg and so many others from that memorable period. Things hit a high point when Kenny co-wrote the classic track Rocky Mountain Way with Joe Walsh.
Kenny’s biggest break came when Joe Walsh recommended him to Elton John, who was in need of a new bassist. Elton flew Kenny to Paris, where he auditioned. Kenny remembers, “I really didn’t know a whole lot of Elton’s music. When I auditioned, it was just the two of us. I was intimidated the whole time, but he was impressed by some of the people that I recorded with. In 1976, Elton recorded his double album entitled Blue Moves. Kenny saw that the music on this album was much more difficult, so he put down his fretless P-Bass, and cut all the tracks on an Alembic Bass, obviously one of the earliest models. When Elton toured in support of Blue Moves, Kenny kept playing his Alembic.
During a week of sold out shows at Madison Square Garden, Elton informed his band that that was his last tour for a while. Kenny recalls that Elton was very gracious and generous with the band. When Elton stopped touring, Elton’s entire band became the backup band for the up and coming duo Hall and Oates.
He recorded Along the Red Ledge, and the live LP entitled Livetime. In time, Kenny left Hall and Oates and started touring with Dan Fogelberg. In 1983, Kenny finally got his chance to play with Crosby, Stills and Nash, but it was a bittersweet experience. Kenny was dissatisfied with the band’s new sound. In addition, Kenny was starting to get burnt out from all of the touring. By the mid 1980’s Kenny decided to stop touring. This period lasted well into the mid 1990’s.
During this 10-year period, Kenny reinvented himself, getting back into playing the piano, and composing his brand of music which he calls “Contemporary Classical Music.” His recent CDs include Twelve Twelve and Miracle of Tepeyak He now makes New Mexico his home and is playing quite a bit these days. He produces and tours with Otis Taylor, a blues guitarist that Kenny really believes in, and he recently played a show with his old pal Stephen Stills.
ALSO JOINING US IS … Music Journalist TRACE KEANE Trace has been working with Johnnie Bolin on The Tommy Bolin Archives for the last 13 years. He’s a Staff writer for Hush Music Magazine (Spain), the Spanish Deep Purple Fanzine since 2009.He does media work for a variety of musicians, Kenny Passarelli, Mark Andes, Joe Vitale, Johnnie Bolin, Russell Bizzett.
Trace has worked with dozens of radio stations and programs about life and music of Tommy Bolin. He started working on The Tommy Bolin Festival when it was in very bad shape and has since gotten the attendance to escalate. The Festival runs this year from Aug. 1 (Tommy's birthday) to Saturday Aug.4 in Sioux City, Iowa.
For more details consult the Tommy Bolin Archives website tommybolin.com
And don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family business available now at amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!
