"There are those who
play for money babe,
and there are those who
play for fame...
yet there are still some
who only play
for the love of the game..."

- T-Bone Burnett
The Kill Switch








Other T-Bone Links:

Discography

Imusic T-Bone Burnett
Discussion Group

T-Bone Burnett

Born Joesph Henry Burnett, in 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri, singer/songwriter {T-Bone Burnett} has become on of the most prolific and influential producers and critically acclaimed musicians in music today.

T-Bone started his career playing in blues bands in his native Forth Worth. He later opened his own studio to record other blues artists.

After creating a blues group called the B52 band he befriended Bob Dylan's manager Bob Neuwirth.

In 1975, Dylan invited Burnett to join his Rolling Thunder Revue as a guitarist. By then, T-bone already had a considerable reputation as a producer.

The Revue was a loose collection of soloists and backing musicians, including such diverse figures as Joni Mitchell and veteran Canadian rocker Ronnie Hawkins.

In 1976, after the tour with Dylan was over, Burnett and fellow Revue members Steve Soles (guitar) and David Mansfield (guitar, mandolin) teamed up to form the Alpha Band, which recorded three wide-ranging rock & roll albums from 1976 to 1979.

Burnett released his solo debut, "Truth Decay" in 1980, which many consider to be one of his finest efforts. It attracted a good deal of attention from critics and other musicians, if not the public, and he followed this with a 1982 mini-album, "Trap Door."

The Texan musical influence is evident from this early solo work, a high-energy form of rock'n'roll drawing on both blues and country traditions.

Burnett's next full-length effort, "Proof Through the Night," featured guests Pete Townshend, Ry Cooder, and Richard Thompson.

Burnett often used both as a vehicle for social comment, as in bitter cameos like "A Ridiculous Man" (from Trap Door) and "Madison Avenue" (Truth Decay). Furthermore, Burnett's committed Christian background did not prevent such driving rock songs as "Come Home" (`...went down to the nightclub the other night/It started with a drink, ended in a fight...') and "Pretty Girls", a lustful endorsement of Texan women.

T-bone began touring with Elvis Costello during the following year under the name The Coward Brothers, who also released an excellent one-off single, "The People's Limousine" (1985).

(This can now be found on Costello's 1987 compilation album, "Out Of Our Idiot.")

Burnett and Costello continued to work together, notably on The Costello Show's King Of America album in 1986.

Burnett's album release schedule was inconsistent owing to his successful production career through the '80s.

Burnett himself has recorded only occasionally since then. All the same, these fleeting appearances have confirmed that his is a refreshing and highly individual rock'n'roll voice.

The sparser textures of his 1992 comeback album, The Criminal Under My Own Hat, provided the backdrop to songs critical of the sentimental and the hypocritical, especially where politicians and evangelists were concerned.

He has produced such artists as Los Lobos, Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw, the BoDeans, Bruce Cockburn, Tonio K, The Counting Crows, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Sam Phillips, Gillian Welch, and the Wallflowers.

This bio was compiled (thoughtlessly stolen) from various sources both on and off the Internet) Feel free to email me any changes or additions:

tchambers@sonypictures.com

Nedstat Counter