Before we begin, I just want to say “Yay!” for 100 hits. Horray!
And on with the blog.
Happy Birthday to guitarist Jerry “Skunk” Baxter who turns 61 today.
He first became a musician after meeting Jimi Hendrix in 1966 and playing as a member of Hendrix’s band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. Baxter then went to university and eventually joined psychedlic band, Ultimate Spinach. After Ultimate Spinach broke up, Baxter joined Steely Dan in 1972. Here he is on the 1974 #4 hit “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.”
This song seems to be a popular song with bar bands bands since that’s really all I found on YouTube.
Here’s an interesting variation by the Doug Sedwick Quartet.
And here’s Nashville’s Cruel Shoes.
After leaving Steely Dan, Baxter was joined the Doobie Brothers first as a session artist in 1974 and then as a full member in 1975. Baxter contributed to the Doobie Brothers success not just by playing guitar, but also by bringing singer Michael McDonald into the band in 1976. Baxter’s last album with the Doobie Brothers was 1978′s Minute by Minute which included the #1 hit, “What a Fool Believes.”
Here’s Murfreesboro, Tennessee band Self doing an all toy instrument version.
After leaving the Doob, Baxter has played as a session artist for scores of artists. Most recently he has worked as – get this – a defense consultant! His work with music technology led him to explore military software which led to an influential paper on missile defense which led to him now chairing a Congressional Advisory Committee on missile defense and working with NASA.
Maybe our missile defense initiative should be named Project Steely Dan?
