Fred Tackett

Fred Tackett, a native of the U.S. state of Arkansas, is the guitarist, mandolinist and trumpeter with the band Little Feat.

In addition to his work with the Little Feat, Tackett has played and recorded with many notable artists.

Association with Little Feat

Tackett's association with Little Feat goes back a long way. He was friends with the group's founder Lowell George around the time of their inception and contributed a song "Fool Yourself" to their third album Dixie Chicken as well as acoustic guitar. He also contributed guitar to their sixth album "Time Loves a Hero".

In 1979 he co-wrote songs with Lowell George for both the Lowell George solo project "Thanks, I'll Eat It Here" and Feat's album "Down on the Farm". It was during work on the latter that the group's break-up was announced. Lowell George died shortly afterwards.

Joining Little Feat

In 1988 Feat reformed despite the absence of their former guiding light, George. It took two men to replace him. One was former Pure Prairie League member Craig Fuller, who shared vocals with Bill Payne and Paul Barrere and basically acted as the George soundalike in concert. The other was Tackett. Fuller left in 1993, to be replaced by female vocalist Shaun Murphy who remains with the group, but Tackett has remained with Feat to this day.

Fred Tackett has played a pivotal role in Feat's music. In addition to his guitar work, he plays trumpet and mandolin and has co-written several of their songs, forging an active and regular writing partnership with Paul Barrere which has produced such favourites as "Marginal Creatures" and "Night On The Town". The 2003 album "Kickin' It at the Barn" featured Tackett's debut as a lead vocalist on his own song "In A Town Like This" which was also the title-track from his solo debut released that year.

Paul and Fred

Tackett's writing partnership with Barrere has developed into a separate act where the two perform as a duo. This has produced one live album and a DVD. A studio album will follow later in 2008.

Discography with Little Feat

as session musician

*Dixie Chicken 1973
*Time Loves a Hero 1977
*Down on the Farm 1979

as group member

*Let It Roll 1988
*Representing the Mambo 1990
*Shake Me Up 1991
*Ain't Had Enough Fun 1995
*Under the Radar 1998
*Chinese Work Songs 2000
*Kickin' It at the Barn 2003

live albums

*Live From Neon Park 1996
*Live at the Rams Head 2002
*Down Upon the Suwannee River 2003
*Highwire Act Live in St. Louis 2003 2004
*Barnstormin' Live 2005
*Rocky Mountain Jam 2007

live compilations

*Ripe Tomatos Volume One 2002
*Raw Tomatos Volume One 2002

Paul and Fred

*Live From North Cafe 2001
*Sights and Sounds DVD 2005

olo

*In A Town Like This 2003

available exclusively from the band's website

essionography

* The Allman Brothers
* The Archers
* Greg Allman
* Rory Block
* Jackson Browne
* Glen Campbell
* Eric Carmen
* Valerie Carter
* Judy Collins
* Rita Coolidge
* Bob Dylan
* Fleetwood Mac
* Lowell George
* Vince Gill
* Rickie Lee Jones
* Knights of Crisis
* Nicolette Larson
* Juice Newton
* Aaron Neville
* Van Dyke Parks
* Bonnie Raitt
* Lionel Richie
* Leo Sayer
* Carly Simon
* Boz Scaggs
* Rod Stewart
* Harry Nilsson
* Bob Seger
* Ringo Starr
* Tom Waits
* Wallflowers
* Jimmy Webb