Billy Rich facts for kids

Billy Rich, born Eddie Wilbur Rich on April 7, 1949, is an American musician. He is famous for playing the electric bass guitar and for his blues music. He is well-known for working with great artists like Jimi Hendrix and Taj Mahal. Billy has played with Taj Mahal since 1972.

Billy was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Today, he lives in Denver, Colorado. In 2004, Billy was honored by being added to the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame.

Billy's Early Life and Music Journey

Billy Rich was born to Milton and Callie Rich. His brother, Herbie Rich, was a founding member of the band Electric Flag. Herbie also worked with Jimi Hendrix. Billy's sister, Carolyn, was a singer in different bands. All three of them were inducted into the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame together.

Billy's father enjoyed playing the harmonica as a hobby. Billy shared that his father was inspired by blues musicians like Sonny Boy Williamson I and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Another brother, Bob, sang and played percussion.

Billy started playing guitar when he was seven years old. His first guitar was a Silvertone. His father and siblings formed a band called The 7 Wonders Combo.

Switching to Bass Guitar

Billy played guitar for about seven years. At one point, he had a special double-neck guitar. It had a guitar neck on top and a bass neck on the bottom. He found that he really liked playing the bass neck. So, he decided to switch to playing bass full-time.

His first bass guitar was a Japanese copy of a Fender Jazz bass called a Conrad. Billy says that guitar players like Chuck Berry, Lonnie Mack, and Duane Eddy influenced his guitar playing. For bass, his biggest influence was James Jamerson. James Jamerson played bass on many famous Motown songs.

Starting His Music Career

After finishing high school, Billy joined the band The Whispers. They were on tour in Omaha and needed a bass player. A few months later, after their tour ended, The Whispers played local shows in the San Francisco Bay area.

Billy's brother Herbie, along with Buddy Miles and Stemsey Hunter, were also from Omaha. They were playing in the band Electric Flag in San Francisco. Billy met Buddy Miles, who invited him to join his new band, The Buddy Miles Express, in 1968. Herbie Rich also joined the band. Many years later, Billy, Herbie, and Buddy Miles were all inducted into the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame together.

Playing with Jimi Hendrix

The Buddy Miles Express's first show was at the Whisky a Go Go club. Jimi Hendrix joined them on stage during that show. Hendrix played with Billy and The Buddy Miles Express several times during this period. Billy wrote a song called "69 Freedom Special" for The Buddy Miles Express. Jimi Hendrix even produced that song for their album Electric Church.

Jimi Hendrix's producer, Allen Douglas, asked Billy to play bass on Hendrix's Band of Gypsies album. However, Billy already had another commitment. Two months later, Douglas invited Billy to record with John McLaughlin in New York. Billy played on John McLaughlin's Devotion album.

Working with Taj Mahal

In 1972, Billy Rich began playing with Taj Mahal. This partnership has continued on and off for many years. The first trio included Taj Mahal, Billy Rich on bass, and Kester Smith on drums. While the lineup has changed over time, Billy has often been a part of Taj Mahal's band.

With Taj Mahal, Billy has traveled and performed all over the world. They have toured in Europe, South America, Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Fiji Islands.

Solo Work and Other Collaborations

In the 1970s, Billy Rich spent some time living in Woodstock, New York. While there, he worked with musicians like Paul Butterfield and Geoff Muldaur. He toured with Paul Butterfield's ‘Better Days Band’ and recorded two albums with them. He also toured and recorded three albums with Geoff Muldaur.

Billy has also played on many studio recordings with other artists. These include John McLaughlin, Seals & Crofts, Maxayn, Jesse Ed Davis, Jackie Lomax, and others. As a session musician, Billy has played many different styles of music. These include reggae, blues, country, R&B, jazz, rock, samba, pop, and bluegrass.

In 1993, Billy played violin for Christian Contemporary Music artist Daniel W Merrick. This was for Merrick's album, Aliyah. Billy also toured for two and a half years with the bluegrass band, the Tony Furtado Band.

Billy Rich's music has influenced many other musicians. These include famous bass player Jaco Pastorius and tuba player Howard Johnson.