Tommy Bolin

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Tommy Bolin was an American guitarist and songwriter who combined rock and jazz rock. He was born in 1951 in Sioux City, Iowa, began playing in bands at thirteen and called himself a guitarist who plays by ear. In 1969 he joined Zephyr in Boulder, Colorado, a band with the singer Candy Givens. In 1972 he founded the fusion project Energy, which released no album during his lifetime.

Music and breakthrough

His name went through the music world when in 1973 he played on drummer Billy Cobham's Spectrum. That same year he became guitarist of the James Gang, with whom he recorded Bang (1973) and Miami (1974). Deep Purple's keyboardist Jon Lord later said that Spectrum convinced him to carry on after Ritchie Blackmore's departure after all. So Bolin ended up in Deep Purple in 1975, where he wrote or co-wrote the majority of Come Taste the Band, including the instrumental Owed to G, a tribute to George Gershwin. His first solo album Teaser appeared in November 1975, the second, Private Eyes, in 1976.

Influence

Bolin played with a loose, melodic approach that fitted both hard rock and jazz fusion. Many Deep Purple fans expected a clone of Blackmore, but his style was very different. Drug problems marked his last years. On 4 December 1976 he died in Miami of an overdose, straight after a concert as the opening act for Jeff Beck. He was 25 years old. Later tributes and posthumously released recordings keep his work alive.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1975Teaser
• 1976Private Eyes