Amos Garrett

Amos Garrett (born November 26, 1941) is an American-Canadian blues and blues-rock musician, guitarist, singer, composer, and musical arranger. He has written instructional books about music and guitar. Garrett holds dual citizenship and was raised in Toronto and Montreal. He is best known for his guitar solos on Maria Muldaur's recording "Midnight at the Oasis",

Biography

Early years Garrett was born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 26, 1941. When he was five, his family moved to Toronto, Ontario. He studied piano and trombone at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto. There, at the Esquire Club, he would learn while watching performers such as Ben E. King, T-Bone Walker, Fats Domino, and B. B. King. From 1964 to 1967, Garrett played in the Toronto jug/string band, the Dirty Shames, which included Chick Roberts, Jim McCarthy, and Carol Robinson. The Hawks would later be recommended by Hammond to Bob Dylan.

In 1968, he played guitar on Geoff Muldaur and Maria's album Pottery Pie. In 1968, Garrett began a two-year stint of touring and recording with the Canadian duo Ian & Sylvia, which led to becoming a founding member of Great Speckled Bird. Based there, he performed and recorded with artists that were part of Albert Grossman's Bearsville stable, such as Bobby Charles, Todd Rundgren, and Jesse Winchester, and as a member of Paul Butterfield's Better Days. Garrett was also a member of Hungry Chuck, another Bearsville act, which was formed of ex–Great Speckled Bird members. They released an eponymous album in 1972. Garrett also played trombone on two songs for Jerry Garcia's second solo album, Garcia, released in 1974. He played the guitar solo on Maria Muldaur's hit single "Midnight at the Oasis", which reached number 6 on the Billboard chart in June 1974.

After living in Boston for two years, Garrett moved to San Francisco in 1976 to pursue session work. With Garrett, the band has backed such acts as Richard Thompson, Solomon Burke, Ruth Brown, Rick Danko, Jay McShann, Johnnie Johnson, and Rosco Gordon. Third Man In, released in 1992, was a collection of covers and originals. Garrett's covers were written by Bobby Charles and Percy Mayfield.

Garrett was presented with an Alberta Music Industry Award in 1994. The album Off the Floor Live followed in 1996. It was recorded live with the Eh Team at the Sidetrack Club in Edmonton.

The Cold Club was a collaboration with Oscar Lopez, David Wilkie, Karl Roth and Ron Casat. They released an eponymous record in 1996. Maria Muldaur, Mike Lent and Teddy Borowiecki guested on the album. Garrett released Amos Garrett's Acoustic Album in 2004. It features tracks written by Lead Belly and Hoagy Carmichael, among others. It was nominated for a 2005 Juno Award. This was followed by the 2008 release Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield, which was also nominated for a Juno Award for Blues Album of the year. Garrett was living in High River, Alberta, in 2008. The festival was presented by Six Shooter Records and curated by Luke Doucet.

Other works Garrett has authored instructional books about music and guitar. He has also released instructional albums and videos.

Garrett is known as "The Fishin' Musician". He enjoys fishing and hopes to one day catch an Atlantic Salmon of twenty pounds or more.

Discography

Selected long-plays Year Album Album Artist Label 1969 This Way Is My Way Anne Murray Capitol 1970 Great Speckled Bird Great Speckled Bird Ampex 1972 Hungry Chuck Hungry Chuck Bearsville

Maria Muldaur Maria Muldaur Reprise Paul Butterfield's Better Days

It All Comes Back 1978 Geoff Muldaur & Amos Garrett Geoff Muldaur & Amos Garrett

1980 Go Cat Go

1981 Amosbehavin''' 1987 The Return of the Formerly Brothers| Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm, Gene Taylor Band 1989 I Make My Home in My Shoes| Amos Garrett 1990 Live in Japan| Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm, Gene Taylor Band 1992

Off the Floor Live!|- The Cold Club| The Cold Club Cold Club 2005

2008 Get Way Back: A Tribute to Percy Mayfield|}

Compilation inclusions