Tommy Shannon

Tommy Shannon (1946–) is an American bass guitarist best known as a member of the blues-rock group Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble.

Biography

Shannon was born in Tucson, Arizona and moved to west Texas when he was nine. He grew up mainly in Dumas, Texas, north of Amarillo on Highway 287. Tommy joined his first band, The Avengers, around age 13. The band members were Tommy Shannon (guitar), Tim Easley (vocals), Jim Love (guitar), and David Davis (drums). It would be a while before they realized the importance of the bass guitar, but eventually Tommy did. Their first gig paid $80 and they were so excited for it that they actually gave half of it back.

In high school Tommy was in the band Ekos. Soon after high school he moved to Dallas and joined a soul cover band in 1966, initially called The New Breed, and later The Young Lads. Shannon recorded two 45s with this band, which featured Tim Easly on vocals and Uncle John Turner on drums.

Early career

Tommy had the first of two important meetings at The Fog in Dallas in the late 1960s. There he first saw Johnny Winter. Shannon ended up backing Winter, and they formed a project known as The Progressive Blues Experiment in 1968. They cut one album just before being signed to Columbia Records by Clive Davis for $600,000 in 1969. At Woodstock, Johnny's brother Edgar joined them onstage. Johnny Winter ended up moving to a band featuring Rick Derringer in early 1970 that already had a rhythm section, and there was no room for Shannon or Turner. They landed in a San Francisco band called Krakerjack, consisting of Uncle John Turner, drums; Mike Kindred, piano; Tommy Shannon, bass; Bruce Bowland, vocals; and John Stahely, guitar. According to Tommy's website, Stevie Ray Vaughan, known as "Skeeter", was part of this band in its later Austin incarnation, along with Robin Syler on guitar. Krakerjack apparently remained a group from 1970 to 1971.

During the 1970s, Shannon became involved with drugs, and began a cycle of jail, probation and rehab that would last for some time. He played with the Austin band The Fools briefly. Due to recurring drug arrests and failure of rehab in San Antonio and other locations, Tommy was finally sent to a "farm" in Buda and, as a result of his probation on release, he was not allowed join a band because of the pervasiveness of drugs in the music scene. Shannon became a bricklayer for a few years until he was able eventually to return to music in 1977. Tommy played in a few unknown bands, then received a call from Rocky Hill, brother of ZZ Top's Dusty Hill. He moved to Houston to play with Hill and Uncle John, and then went on to a gig with Allen Haynes, with whom he can be heard on "Wishing Well", in the late 1970s. Tommy also toured, opening for Bachman-Turner Overdrive and for KISS at the Warehouse in New Orleans.

With Stevie Ray Vaughan

Tommy moved between Dallas and Austin, and saw Stevie Ray Vaughan at The Fog with Vaughan's group Blackbird. Vaughan later formed a group called Double Trouble, and in 1980 Shannon wound up taking the place of the bass player, Jackie Newhouse, after seeing Double Trouble at Rockefellers in Houston. The group could have been short-lived—Vaughan was tapped to do some guitar tracks for David Bowie (the haunting guitar on "Let's Dance", for instance), and was then offered the chance to tour with Bowie. Ultimately, Vaughan turned down the offer. Vaughan, Shannon, and drummer Chris Layton would stay together as Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble—and become one of the most famous blues bands of all time.

After joining Double Trouble, Tommy met his future wife Kumi and they eventually married in 1986. He had returned to ever-increasing drug use, this time with the band leader. Eventually both realized that they wouldn't last if that lifestyle continued, so they checked into rehabilitation in separate cities and both became clean and sober. Things seemed like they couldn't be better, with the band being healthier, making popular music, and gaining fame and fortune—until the helicopter carrying Vaughan crashed into a hillside after a show at Alpine Valley Music Theater, near East Troy, Wisconsin, and all aboard died.

Later career

After a period of mourning, Shannon's musical career would eventually continue. He played with Doyle Bramhall, Denny Freeman, and Chris Layton in The Mighty Zor. Tommy was asked by The Rolling Stones to audition to replace Bill Wyman, but didn't get the gig. Other notable projects included the Arc Angels with Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton, and Storyville with Malford Milligan. He toured with Susan Tedeschi and, along with Chris Layton, toured & recorded with Kenny Wayne Shepherd. He and Layton played on Jimmy D. Lane's "It's Time". He has played with other notable musicians including Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Little Richard, Hubert Sumlin, Mike McCready, Johnny Lang, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Johnson, David Grissom, Mato Nanji and Jeff Beck.

In 2001, Double Trouble reformed, releasing their only album without Vaughan. Titled "Been a Long Time", it featured many guest performers (including Tedeschi) filling Vaughan's frontman role.

He played an Arctic White Fender Jazz Bass with a Red Tortoise Shell Pickguard and sometimes played a Suburst Fender Precision Bass

External links

* [http://www.tommyshannon.com/ Shannon's web site]