Howard Wales facts for kids

Howard Wales (born February 8, 1943 – died December 7, 2020) was an American musician. He was a talented keyboardist who played many different styles of music. Howard is well-known for working with Jerry Garcia in the early 1970s.

Howard Wales was a "session player." This means he was a musician hired to play on recordings for many different artists. He played with famous groups like the Four Tops and singers like James Brown. Even though he was great at playing rock and R&B music, he also loved playing free-form jazz. Later in his career, he released several albums where he played this jazz style.

Jam Sessions and Famous Friends

For several months in 1970, Howard Wales led special music nights. These were called "jam sessions" and took place at a club in San Francisco called the Matrix. During these sessions, musicians would play together without much planning, making up music as they went along.

Jerry Garcia, a famous guitarist from the band Grateful Dead, often joined these free-form performances. They were also often joined by John Kahn on bass guitar and Bill Vitt on drums.

Albums from Collaborations

Howard Wales and Jerry Garcia recorded an album together called Hooteroll?. It came out in 1971 and featured music mostly written by Wales. Another album, Side Trips, Volume One, was released in 1998. This album had live recordings from those exciting jam sessions at the Matrix club.

Working with the Grateful Dead

Howard Wales also helped create the 1970 Grateful Dead album called American Beauty. He played the organ on two popular songs, "Truckin'" and "Candyman." He also played the piano on the song "Brokedown Palace."

Later Life

Howard Wales passed away on December 7, 2020, when he was 77 years old. He had a serious health issue in November 2020.

Discography

Here are some of the albums Howard Wales released or helped create:

Howard Wales' Solo Albums

• Rendezvous with the Sun (1976)
• The Monk in the Mansion (1992)
• Complex Simplex (2001)
• Between Two Worlds (2006)
• Life Is a Trip (2009)
• Faces (2012)
• Overview (2014)
• Undisclosed Location (2018)

Albums with Jerry Garcia

• Hooteroll? (1971)
• Side Trips, Volume One (1998)

Albums with Other Artists

• American Beauty – Grateful Dead (1970)
• Baby Batter – Harvey Mandel (1971)
• Electronic Progress – Harvey Mandel (1971)
• Planetary Warrior – Harvey Mandel (1997)

See also

In Spanish: Howard Wales para niños