Both men have decades-long resumes that account for their mature, informed styles. Andy Talamantez abbreviated his given name to the stage-friendlier Andy T during his first high-profile gig, touring the world with blues legend Smokey Wilson.
Like many kids growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, the first blues Andy heard as a teenager was British blues, courtesy of Eric Clapton and Cream on The Ed Sullivan Show. He rapidly traced the music from there, assimilating elements of the vocabularies of Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, B.B. King, Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, T-Bone Walker and others until striking out on his own. He performed in various bands around Southern California until 1996, when Los Angeles-based Wilson practically plucked him off the stage for his first tour. In 1998 Andy also began playing with Guitar Shorty, a Houston native known for his blistering six-string attack and on-stage acrobatics.
During his seven years on the road with Smokey and Shorty, Andy learned how to back up a vocalist with economy and perfection as he honed his own playing style, developing a clean, mile-wide tone that cuts to the essence of every song he plays with absolute precision — an approach comparable to that of living Texas blues legends Jimmie Vaughan and the new CD’s producer Funderburgh. Andy recorded only one album during that time, 2003’s Ready To Roll by Smokey Wilson and the Andy T Band.
“The biggest lesson I learned from Smokey and Shorty was the importance of putting on a good show,’ Andy relates, “because they were great showmen. I also assimilated the finer points of managing a band.” He’s picked up a few more tips over the years performing with Funderburgh, Philip Walker, Charlie Musselwhite, Lonnie Brooks, Finis Tasby, William Clark, Rod Piazza, Kid Ramos, Kim Wilson and a host of others.
Nick’s musical education began in his native Nashville, singing in church as a young boy. Interestingly, he began performing opera after his high school music teacher heard the rich resonant tones that seem to naturally leap from his throat.
“I had to actually learn how to sing ’wrong’ after that, when I decided I wanted to sing rock ’n’ roll and blues at clubs and dances,” Nick explains, chuckling.
His first working band was King James and the Sceptres, a rock ’n’ roll outfit with Nick in the royal role. He became versed in the practicalities of the music business while playing clubs on Nashville’s famed Jefferson Street, which was Music City’s answer to Memphis’ Beale Street African-American entertainment district well into the 1970s, when disco undermined the live music market.
“There were clubs all up and down Jefferson,” Nick recounts. “Jimi Hendrix was one of the guys on the scene. You’d see him walking down the street with his guitar over his shoulder. I was running buddies with Jimi and Billy Cox, who played in Band of Gypsys with Jimi later on. At that time Johnny Jones was the hottest guitar player in town. He influenced Duane Allman and Jimi, although Larry Lee always had the best stage presence. Larry and Billy both played with Jimi at Woodstock.”
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Artist info obtained from public profile, artist website or social media
Both men have decades-long resumes that account for their mature, informed styles. Andy Talamantez abbreviated his given name to the stage-friendlier Andy T during his first high-profile gig, touring the world with blues legend Smokey Wilson.
Like many kids growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, the first blues Andy heard as a teenager was British blues, courtesy of Eric Clapton and Cream on The Ed Sullivan Show. He rapidly traced the music from there, assimilating elements of the vocabularies of Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, B.B. King, Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, T-Bone Walker and others until striking out on his own. He performed in various bands around Southern California until 1996, when Los Angeles-based Wilson practically plucked him off the stage for his first tour. In 1998 Andy also began playing with Guitar Shorty, a Houston native known for his blistering six-string attack and on-stage acrobatics.
During his seven years on the road with Smokey and Shorty, Andy learned how to back up a vocalist with economy and perfection as he honed his own playing style, developing a clean, mile-wide tone that cuts to the essence of every song he plays with absolute precision — an approach comparable to that of living Texas blues legends Jimmie Vaughan and the new CD’s producer Funderburgh. Andy recorded only one album during that time, 2003’s Ready To Roll by Smokey Wilson and the Andy T Band.
“The biggest lesson I learned from Smokey and Shorty was the importance of putting on a good show,’ Andy relates, “because they were great showmen. I also assimilated the finer points of managing a band.” He’s picked up a few more tips over the years performing with Funderburgh, Philip Walker, Charlie Musselwhite, Lonnie Brooks, Finis Tasby, William Clark, Rod Piazza, Kid Ramos, Kim Wilson and a host of others.
Nick’s musical education began in his native Nashville, singing in church as a young boy. Interestingly, he began performing opera after his high school music teacher heard the rich resonant tones that seem to naturally leap from his throat.
“I had to actually learn how to sing ’wrong’ after that, when I decided I wanted to sing rock ’n’ roll and blues at clubs and dances,” Nick explains, chuckling.
His first working band was King James and the Sceptres, a rock ’n’ roll outfit with Nick in the royal role. He became versed in the practicalities of the music business while playing clubs on Nashville’s famed Jefferson Street, which was Music City’s answer to Memphis’ Beale Street African-American entertainment district well into the 1970s, when disco undermined the live music market.
“There were clubs all up and down Jefferson,” Nick recounts. “Jimi Hendrix was one of the guys on the scene. You’d see him walking down the street with his guitar over his shoulder. I was running buddies with Jimi and Billy Cox, who played in Band of Gypsys with Jimi later on. At that time Johnny Jones was the hottest guitar player in town. He influenced Duane Allman and Jimi, although Larry Lee always had the best stage presence. Larry and Billy both played with Jimi at Woodstock.”
[Show Less]
Artist info obtained from public profile, artist website or social media
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