TONY SAUNDERS

As a child he was taught piano by Herbie Hancock, and for his tenth birthday he was gifted an electric organ from Sly Stone.

Growing up around his dad and the Fantasy Records family of artists, he was constantly surrounded by music royalty, including famed record and film executive Saul Zaentz. Tony’s passion for the bass guitar began when he started sitting in on recording sessions with musicians like Anthony Davis, who played with Walter Hawkins, and Lee Miles of Miles Davis fame. “I got to see them both in the studio on a project my dad was producing. These guys had a feel that drew me to the bass. That’s all I wanted after seeing them play.”

Tony graduated from the prestigious Conservatory of Music in San Francisco as a piano player, but soon began honing his skills on the bass. He was influenced by the sounds of James Jamison, Stanley Clark, Jack Cassidy and others. Tom Fogarty of Creedence Clearwater Revival gave him his first bass guitar. Chuck Rainey and John Kahn both took an interest in Tony, giving him bass lessons and a legacy to live up to. By the time he was 17 he was playing his first gig with Jerry Garcia and his dad in the Merl Saunders / Jerry Garcia Band.

Tony’s musical journey has continued on from that era through to the present. He has played and recorded with an astounding list of great musical talents, including Eric Clapton, David Crosby, Jo Sample, Chaka Khan, Ringo Star, Bo Diddley, The Hawkins Family and others too numerous to count. “This just touches the edge of who I have been blessed to play with,” says Saunders. Tony has played on hundreds of albums, won two Emmy Awards for soundtracks, and written award-winning commercial jingles and movie scores.