Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

BOLIN, Tommy

(b '51, Sioux City IA; d 4 Dec. '76, Miami) US rock guitarist. Formed band Zephyr in Denver '68; lineup: Candy Givens, vocals, keyboards; David Givens, vocals, bass; John Faris, vocals, sax, keyboards; Robbie Chamberlain, drums (later replaced by Bobby Berge). He appeared on LPs Zephyr and Going Back To Colorado '70--71 (but not on Sunset Ride '72). After a year on the road with blues legend Albert King, he went to the expanding jazz-rock scene in NYC, where session credits incl. Billy Cobham LP Spectrum '73, which helped convice Jeff Beck to pursue fusion music. He ascribed his lightning-fast fingerwork to early work as drummer strengthening wrists and hands. Returned to rock as Joe Walsh's replacement in the James Gang, recommended by Walsh himself; played on Bang '73, Miami '74; replaced another famous axe-man, Ritchie Blackmore, in Deep Purple '75 co-writing seven songs on Come Taste The Band; went solo when band split '76. First solo LP pre-Purple Teaser '75 with Jan Hammer; then Private Eyes '76 with Reggie McBride, bass; Bobbye Hall, percussion; ex-Vanilla Fudge Mark Stein, keyboards, Norma Jean Bell, sax, percussion; Berge on drums. While on the road promoting Private Eyes he was found dead in hotel room, probably from accidental drug overdose.