Bassist Rhandy Simmons’ resumé consists of common onstage jams with Stevie Ray Vaughan and membership in Roomful of Blues in addition to Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets.

Born in Garland, Texas, Simmons was one more babyboomer who requested for a guitar after seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He performed in nation bands earlier than gravitating to Texas blues.

“I began enjoying in nation bars round 1968, after I was 15,” he recalled. “An older man who wanted a bass participant masqueraded as my father so I might do the gigs.”

His first devices have been a “dolphin-nose” Silvertone 1444, adopted by a Fender Precision. He moved to Kansas and went on the highway with a band referred to as the Cross Nation Categorical, utilizing a uncommon four-string.

“I used to gather Ampeg scroll-heads and Child Basses,” he mentioned. “I purchased my first in 1970 from Larry Morgan at Arnold and Morgan Music Mart. It had the ‘thriller pickup’ underneath the bridge.”

In an inconceivable alternate, in 1985, Preston Hubbard left the Boston jump-blues band Roomful of Blues to hitch the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and was changed by Simmons, who needed to shortly take up a special instrument.

“I had by no means performed upright till I joined Roomful,” he mentioned. “I began on a ’52 Kay, however quickly switched to my Child Bass.”

After a 12 months on the highway with Roomful, he returned to Houston, the place he met Alan Haynes and Uncle John Turner.

“I did a few European excursions with them, and alongside the best way met Freddie Cisneros, the supervisor on the Rockin’ Robin music store. I performed bass in Freddie’s band, Little Junior One Hand and the Blasting Caps. He was form sufficient to provide me a part-time gross sales job, and I labored there between excursions till I moved again to Dallas to hitch Anson and the Rockets, with Sam Myers.”

Throughout Simmons’ time at Rockin’ Robin, the shop’s Robin guitar model was thriving, and he recalled providing enter on the design of the then-new Medley bass, touted as the primary with three pickups – two single-coils and a humbucker.

“I really helpful that the only coils be wound in a humbucking configuration, as a result of I actually just like the thunder of the single-coil pickups on early Precisions and Ampegs,” he recalled. “I additionally thought a humbucker by the bridge would supply the low-mid definition of the early Music Man Sting Ray.”

Simmons performed a purple Medley and used it on quite a few studio recordings, together with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets’ 1987 album, Sins, which gained 4 W.C. Helpful blues awards. His main instrument was nonetheless a Child Bass, however he appeared on the album cowl with a doghouse bass.

“That belonged to a buddy, Tony Dukes,” he mentioned. “We used it for the photograph shoot as a result of it appeared the half.”

An everyday Monday gig with Funderburgh on the Dallas joint Poor David’s Pub noticed Stevie Ray Vaughan jam with the band greater than as soon as.

“When he wasn’t touring, Stevie would sit in occasionally. The second he walked by the door, everybody knew they have been about to be rocketed to a different dimension. He’d present up with no guitar, no amp… he’d seize Anson’s ’59 Strat.”

Simmons’ profession lasted for a few years and aw him again guitar luminaries together with Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland. He finally opened Siesta Ranch Studios, in Gilmer, the place quite a few musicians have recorded, together with Kacey Musgraves (Simmons co-produced her first album), Mike Morgan (Ain’t Fearful No Extra), and nation band Good Stanger.

Lately, Simmons is retired from music and serves as a fishing information on Lake Fork.

“Each every so often, I get along with some associates to do some porch choosing,” he mentioned. “The concept of crawling on a tour bus doesn’t excite me a lot anymore. I had my day they usually inform me I had fun! I’m one of many luckiest males on Earth for having been in a position to spend time enjoying with a few of the biggest musicians on the earth.”

This text initially appeared in VG’s June 2024 challenge. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.