Andy Hummel

John Andrew Hummel (January 26, 1951 – July 19, 2010) was an American bassist and singer-songwriter best known as the bass player of Big Star.

Background and career Hummel was born January 26, 1951, in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to John Vernon and Barbara Walker Hummel, who was crowned Miss America in 1947. John Andrew grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and graduated in 1969 from Memphis University School.

John Andrew Hummel became good friends with Chris Bell during high school; the pair frequently performed along with several other musicians, including drummer Jody Stephens, whom they had known since junior high school, in a band known as Icewater. In 1971, Bell asked singer Alex Chilton to join him, Hummel, and Stephens in a group which was eventually named Big Star.

He moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1978. He was a 30-year employee of Lockheed Martin. He and Patti Martin were married on November 3, 1979. They have three children: a daughter, Cady, and two sons, Drew and Walker.

Big Star reunited in the mid-1990s without Chris Bell, who died in a car crash in 1978. Hummel also declined to take part, although in March 2010, he played at a special performance at SXSW in honor of Alex Chilton, who had died suddenly just three days prior.

Four months later, Hummel died of cancer, on July 19, 2010.

Discography Albums Studio albums 1 Record (Ardent/Stax, 1972) Radio City (Ardent/Stax, 1974)