Tiran Porter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tiran Porter
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Porter with The Doobie Brothers in 1974.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tiran Calvin Porter |
| Born | September 26, 1948 Los Angeles, California United States |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, guitar, vocals |
| Labels | Warner Bros. Records |
| Associated acts | The Doobie Brothers |
Tiran Calvin Porter (born September 26, 1948) is an American musician. He plays bass guitar and regular guitar. He is also a singer and writes songs. Tiran is most famous for being a member of the band The Doobie Brothers. He played with them from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1987 to 1992.
Contents
About Tiran Porter
Early Life
Tiran Porter was born in Los Angeles, California. He finished high school in Lawndale, California, in 1966. Before joining the Doobie Brothers, he played in a local band called Six Penny Opera.
Joining The Doobie Brothers
Tiran became famous when he joined The Doobie Brothers in 1972. He took over as the bass player for their second album, Toulouse Street.
While in the studio, Tiran mostly sang background vocals. However, he wrote and sang "For Someone Special" on the album Takin' It To The Streets (1976). This song was a tribute to the band's leader, Tom Johnston, who was ill. He also sang "Need A Lady" on the album Livin' On The Fault Line (1977). During live concerts, Tiran often sang the main vocals for one or two songs.
Leaving and Returning to the Band
Tiran left The Doobie Brothers in 1980. He found the constant touring schedule very tiring. Another musician, Willie Weeks, replaced him. Tiran later made a short guest appearance with the band during their farewell tour in 1982.
He rejoined The Doobie Brothers in 1987. Tiran played on their albums Cycles (1989) and Brotherhood (1991). The title for the Cycles album came from a song Tiran wrote, but his song was not used on the album. After touring for five more years, Tiran left the band for good in 1992. He was still tired of touring all the time. He also wanted the band to record more different kinds of music, but they preferred their usual style.
Solo Work and Other Projects
In 1995, Tiran released his own solo album called Playing to an Empty House. He produced the album himself. It features a mix of rock, progressive, and jazz music. Tiran played all the instruments and sang on the album.
More recently, Tiran has played bass guitar with other musicians. These include singer-songwriter Keith Greeninger and the Beatles tribute band White Album Ensemble. He also played with Stormin' Norman and the Cyclones, and Moby Grape during their occasional reunion shows.
In 2020, Tiran Porter was honored for his music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Doobie Brothers.
Playing Style
Tiran Porter's bass playing was a big part of The Doobie Brothers' sound. He created strong and lively bass lines. His unique sound can be heard in many of the band's classic songs.
Early in his career, he often used a guitar pick to play the bass. This gave his music a rich, full sound. A great example of this is the song "Takin' It to the Streets". More recently, Tiran has been playing with his fingers instead of a pick. He uses new, custom-made instruments for this style.
Musical Instruments
During the 1970s, Tiran was often seen with Alembic or Gibson basses. He used models like the Thunderbird, Ripper, and EB-0L. He also played Fender instruments, especially the Fender Jazz Bass. Other basses he used include BC Rich Eagles and Mockingbirds, and Rickenbackers.
Albums
Solo Albums
- Playing To An Empty House (1995)
With The Doobie Brothers
- Toulouse Street (1972) (US #21)
- The Captain and Me (1973) (US #7)
- What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) (US #4)
- Stampede (1975) (US #4)
- Takin' It to the Streets (1976) (US #8)
- Livin' on the Fault Line (1977) (US #10)
- Minute by Minute (1978) (US #1)
- One Step Closer (1980) (US #3)
- Cycles (1989) (US #17)
- Brotherhood (1991) (US #82)
- Live at Wolf Creek [Live] (2004)
- Live at the Greek Theater 1982 [Live] (2011) (guest appearance on one song)
