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SKIP at SUN Studios in Memphis

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E-Mail Skip: skip@elderbro.com

 

Skip began playing the guitar ( a $14.00 Sears & Roebuck flat-top acoustic that he borrowed from his cousin ) around 1960, performing both lead and rhythm parts. Later, he acquired a Candy-Apple Red Gibson SG and after that, a Fender Jaguar. In 1966, he switched to Bass Guitar when he met the band that was to later become The Fluid Ounces when they needed a replacement bass player - he picked up a Candy Apple Red Fender Jazz Bass from Dunham's Music Store in Asheville, N.C. - which he still has. He now predominantly uses an ESP LTD C-305 5-String Bass in his on-stage performances, but has eight different bass guitars at his disposal and which he plays (Not all at once - DUH!). He also sings back-up vocal harmony and has recently been working on singing a lead vocal "Outlaws Like Us" by Hoss Howard.

Over the years, he has played bass with a number of other bands, including The Xenials, The Fluid Ounces, Tom & Skip, Litefoot, D.J. and The Family Jewels, TAZZ, Tequila Sunrise and The Bluestone Band, and worked briefly on a stage crew for Johnny Paycheck, Gatemouth Brown, Delbert McClinton and Mike Cross. Most recently, he was with JOHNNY WEBB and The J.W. Band - and took a 4+ year hiatus from music up until the present time. He has also played brief "fill-in" stints with IMPACT and CROSSFIRE and has shared billing with The Bill Lyerly Band numerous times (he and Bill lived in the same town and were pals back in the 70's and 80's - Bill now has 6 Albums to his credit.). In 1997 he sat in with "Big Al Carson and The Blues Masters" on Bourbon Street at The Funky Pirate while on a trip to New Orleans.

In addition to performing on the J.W. Bands two recent albums, Skip played bass on "He's Got You" & "Drip-Drop"; "Please Leave Us Alone" & "I Never Loved Anybody" with THE FLUID OUNCES, and laid down the bass lines for a recent Christmas album by "The WONDERTONES".

His music was first influenced by the Broadway Music that his mother played at home when he was very young. Later, he recalls listening to Sunday morning Gospel music on the radio, paying particular attention to the bass lines, and in his pre-teen and early teen-age years went to sleep almost every night listening to "Randy's Record Mart" on WLAC A.M. radio out of Gallatin, Tennessee. ( Check out a Tribute Page reflecting the history of that station. )

Perhaps the pivotal point of his deciding to play a stringed instrument came when he was 5 years old. He was sick with the flu, and a friend of his Dad's named GAR MOSTELLER came and sat beside is bed, played the guitar and sang Skip to sleep. Gar is still around these parts somewhere - as far as we know, playing his fiddle (which he plays better than his guitar) - and if not, his legacy still lives on in his influence not only on Skip, but on many other mountain musicians .....

When Skip picked up the guitar, the music of Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy, and The Ventures caught his attention. He has many favorite artists, including The Moody Blues, Carlos Santana, Leo Kottke, ZZ Top, B.B. King and Jonny Lang (see Jonny Lang Biography) As to the kind of music that Skip prefers, he replies "Anything but Rap and Metallica!"

 

We'll be adding links to pages for the guys in the band soon - If it's underlined, try clicking on it to see the linked page
JERRY MOODY
CHARLES
JERRY MELTON

 

 

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REV. 5-14-2008 / 00:05