It's hard to listen to the music of Tommy Bolin and not wonder what could've been if the exceptionally talented (and versatile) guitarist hadn't succumbed to a senseless drug overdose at the age of 25 -- just as his career appeared to be taking off. In a recording career that lasted only several years, Bolin not only touched upon several styles (blues-rock, ballads, fusion, funk, reggae, and heavy metal), but showed that he could master each one -- as evidenced by his two solo albums and various recordings with the likes of Zephyr, Billy Cobham, Alphonse Mouzon, the James Gang, Deep Purple, and Moxy. Born in Sioux City, IA, on August 1, 1951, Bolin tried the drums and piano as a youngster, but by the age of 13 began playing the guitar. It wasn't long before he was jamming with local rock outfits, and three years later he was expelled from school for refusing to cut his long hair. Undeterred, Bolin relocated to Denver, CO, where he formed his first real band, American Standard. By the end of the '60s, Bolin found himself in the blues-rock outfit Zephyr, led by Candy Givens.
Despite high hopes, the group was never able to translate their local success from coast to coast (despite Bolin's talents supposedly grabbing the attention of guitarists whom Zephyr opened up for -- including Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page). After a pair of albums that failed to attract a large audience, 1969's self-titled debut and 1971's Going Back to Colorado, Bolin left Zephyr. Interested in the burgeoning jazz fusion scene (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Miles Davis, etc.), Bolin formed a similarly styled outfit, Energy. But apart from live shows and demos, Energy failed to secure a recording contract. Word on Bolin's guitar ability was beginning to spread amongst musicians, however, and Mahavishnu drummer Billy Cobham invited the young guitarist to play on his solo debut, Spectrum. Issued in 1973, the album became an instant fusion classic, as Bolin's fiery guitar work lit up such tracks as the over-the-top "Quadrant Four," "Stratus," and "Red Baron." Spectrum also proved to be an important stepping stone for other guitarists (allegedly, it inspired Jeff Beck to issue such similarly styled albums as Blow by Blow and Wired), and for Bolin's career as well, as he would land gigs with such renowned hard rock acts as the James Gang and Deep Purple solely on the strength of his playing on the album.
Bolin was hired by the James Gang to get their career back on track; after founding guitarist Joe Walsh had left the group in 1971, the remaining members had seen their fortunes slowly fade. And while Bolin's arrival didn't return the group back to the top of the charts, a pair of quite underrated albums were issued, 1973's Bang and 1974's Miami, as the guitarist also sang lead for the first time on record. It was also around this time that Bolin adopted a flashy image on-stage -- complete with feather outfits, nail polish, and multi-colored hair. Shortly after the release of his second album with the James Gang, Bolin left the band, as he'd grown discontent with their musical direction. Relocating to Los Angeles, CA, Bolin supplied guitar to another fine fusion release, Mind Transplant by ex-Weather Report drummer Alphonse Mouzon. It was also around this time that Bolin secured a solo recording contract, but a phone call from Deep Purple was just around the corner.
With the departure of Ritchie Blackmore in 1974, Deep Purple suddenly found themselves without a guitarist. When the group's singer, David Coverdale, remembered hearing impressive guitar work on the Spectrum album, Bolin was tracked down, offered a tryout, and landed the gig with Purple immediately. As a result, Bolin was often doing double-duty in recording studios -- working on both his solo debut (Teaser) in Los Angeles and his Purple debut (Come Taste the Band) in Germany. Both recordings were issued in 1975, but like the James Gang gig beforehand, Bolin's tenure with Purple was short-lived, as they split up a year later.
It was no secret amongst his friends and fellow musicians that Bolin had developed a dangerous addiction to hard drugs throughout the early to mid-'70s, which only worsened by 1976 (so much so that some wondered if he had a death wish). Bolin continued working at a breakneck pace, however, issuing his second solo outing, Private Eyes, and also guesting on the self-titled debut by Canadian Led Zeppelin clones Moxy. Sadly, Bolin was found dead from a heroin overdose on December 4, 1976, in Miami, FL (the day after opening a show for Jeff Beck), at the age of 25.
In the years following his death, musicians continued to name-check Bolin as an influence, while a career-spanning box set saw the light of day in 1989, The Ultimate, and seven years later, a collection of rarities/outtakes, From the Archives, Vol. 1. Bolin's brother, Johnnie Bolin, began issuing a steady stream of archival releases, via the Tommy Bolin Archives Inc. label, and launched an official website in his brother's memory, www.tbolin.com. The '90s also saw the emergence of annual Tommy Bolin tribute concerts -- featuring performances of musicians who played alongside the late guitarist 20 years earlier, as well as such classic rock acts as Black Oak Arkansas. 2008 was a busy year for new Bolin-related releases, as Friday Music issued an exhaustive three-disc set of rarities, The Ultimate: Redux, Dean Guitars issued a 'Tommy Bolin Teaser Tribute Guitar,' and a book was released that chronicled Tommy's entire life, 'Touched by Magic: The Tommy Bolin Story'. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Thomas Richard 'Tommy' Bolin (August 1, 1951, Sioux City, Iowa - December 4, 1976) was an American-born guitarist best known for his work with Zephyr (from 1969 to 1971), The James Gang (from 1973 through 1974), Deep Purple (from 1975 to 1976), and his solo work.
Tommy Bolin began playing in bands around Sioux City as a youth before moving to Boulder, Colorado, in his late teens. He had played in a band called American Standard before joining Ethereal Zephyr, a band named after a train that ran between Denver and Chicago. When record companies became interested, the name was shortened to Zephyr. This band included Bolin on guitar, David Givens on bass, and Givens' wife Candice Givens on vocals. The band had begun to do larger venues, opening for more established acts such as Led Zeppelin. Their second album, entitled Going Back to Colorado, featured a new drummer, Bobby Berge, who would pop up from time to time in musician credits in album liner notes from Bolin's later projects.
After this record, he decided to move on to more progressive projects. In 1972 Bolin, at the age of 20, formed the fusion jazz-rock-blues band Energy. While the band never released an album during Bolin's lifetime, several posthumous releases have demonstrated the band's power and Bolin's artistic vision. He also played on Billy Cobham's Spectrum album, which included Bolin on guitar, Billy Cobham of Mahavishnu Orchestra on drums, Leland Sklar on bass and Jan Hammer (also of Mahavishnu Orchestra) on keyboards and synthesizers. This was a fusion-powerhouse line up that resulted in a most impressive album that showcased Bolin's playing at his creative peak.
1973 found him as Domenic Troiano's replacement, who had replaced Joe Walsh, in the James Gang. He had two records with this band: Bang! in 1973 and Miami in 1974.
After the Miami tour, Bolin wanted out of the James Gang. He went on to do session work for numerous rock bands and also with a number of jazz artists. Bolin is featured, for example, on Alphonse Mouzon's (of Weather Report) album Mind Transplant. He also toured with Carmine Appice and The Good Rats.
Bolin signed with Nemperor records to record a solo album. His main idea was to bring in a vast array of musicians drawn from all the session players he had known. With the encouragement of friends and colleagues, Bolin decided to do his own vocals on this album as well. Session players on this record included David Foster, David Sanborn, Jan Hammer, Stanley Sheldon (Peter Frampton's bassist), Phil Collins (of Genesis) and Glenn Hughes (of Deep Purple), to name a few. During the recording of this album, he was contacted to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple.
In the start of 1975 Bolin contributed some studio guitar assistance to Canadian band Moxy during the recording of their debut album; the original and obscure vinyl LP for Moxy is especially sought after by die-hard Bolin fans these days. Later in 1975 saw the release of Bolin's first and highly anticipated solo record, Teaser, on the Nemperor label, and Deep Purple's Come Taste the Band on the Purple label. The Deep Purple world tour that followed in 1975 and 1976 allowed Bolin to showcase one song per night from Teaser. During this period, however, it became apparent that he had a heroin addiction. This addiction led to a rumor that some of Deep Purple's overseas concerts were marred by Bolin being unable to play due to a paralyzed left arm, the result of a bad injection. Subsequent reports state that Bolin did ingest morphine and fell asleep on his arm the wrong way that caused nerve damage,in fact they went to an acupuncturist to cure it.[citation needed] Glenn Hughes and Ian Paice have confirmed this.
The subsequent release of This Time Around: Live in Tokyo 1975 had a much improved mix and included Bolin's playing. Many critics agree Bolin was in good form for the concerts:[citation needed] Certainly, he did not suffer from paralysis at these concerts. Nevertheless, the live character for Deep Purple's shows began to vary with this lineup.
Bolin was back on the road with his solo band and planning a second solo record. The band had a rotating cast of players which included Norma Jean Bell (formerly of Frank Zappa's band) on saxophone and eventually Bolin's younger brother Johnny Bolin on drums. After top brass from Nemperor witnessed Bolin (while highly intoxicated) falling off the stage during a performance in New York City, he was summarily dropped from that label.
This proved to be something of a blessing in disguise when CBS signed him shortly afterwards. In 1976 he began to record Private Eyes, his second solo record. This album was supposed to be a double album, but financial woes cut down on this project and a single album was released instead. The album is a decent effort, considering his difficulties when he made it, particularly with substance abuse, and a breakup with his longtime girlfriend, Karen Ulibarri.
Musical equipment
Bolin played mostly Fender Stratocaster guitars, favoring those with maple fingerboards and even had one fitted with a Telecaster neck. He also had a Les Paul Goldtop guitar and a guitar made by a Japanese luthier that he used on the Deep Purple MK IV tour in Japan.
For amplifiers and effects, Bolin primarily used Hiwatt amps and cabinets and 100 watt DR03 heads. He was known for his trademark use of a Maestro Echoplex which he had mounted on a stand on stage. Throughout Zephyr, Energy, The James Gang, his solo work and Deep Purple, his speeding up of the echo repeats are an exciting addition to his playing. 'Quadrant 4' with Billy Cobham is a great example of this.
Bolin also used a Sam Ash fuzz tone and was known to turn up the bass and lower the treble response of his amplifiers, creating a smooth rounded tone which complimented his legato style of playing.
In 2008, Dean Guitars released a Tommy Bolin tribute guitar. This guitar is a radical departure from typical Dean Guitar models, and is based on Bolin's old Stratocasters but with a custom, airbrushed photograph of him used as the graphic.
Also in 2008, guitar effect pedal manufacturer Hartman Electronics released the tribute Tommy Bolin Signature Fuzz. This pedal's design is based on the Sam Ash and features a duotone silkscreen image of Bolin with his strat as the graphic.
Death
Bolin's tour for Private Eyes would be his last. The cost of keeping a band on the road and his heavy drug addiction forced him into the restrictive position as a supporting act. In his last concert dates, he opened for Peter Frampton and Jeff Beck, though said dates were marred with technical problems and unreliable performances. However, his final show, in which he opened for Jeff Beck on December 3, 1976, encored with a rendition of "Post Toastee." He also posed for a photo with Jeff Beck after the show. In one account of his last hours, Bolin was found unconscious shortly following the show. The management, who by some reports did not want any additional negative publicity about the tour,[citation needed] had him taken to his room with his new girlfriend in order to look after him. By morning, Bolin's health had become worse. Valeria, his Swiss girlfriend, feared for his life and called for an ambulance. When paramedics arrived, Bolin was pronounced dead. He was 25 years old. In other accounts, his death followed a night of hard partying that had involved beer, champagne, barbiturates, cocaine and finally morphine. This combination caused his throat muscles to constrict severely and he suffocated throughout the course of the night.
In 1999, Glenn Hughes (of Trapeze and formerly of Deep Purple), did a 4-5 city tribute tour in Texas. Bolin's brother Johnny (of Black Oak Arkansas) played drums, Craig Erickson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) played guitar as they performed a host of Bolin's songs.
