Finis Tasby

Finis Tasby (February 1, 1939 – November 2, 2014) was a Los Angeles based blues singer and frontman for the group The Mannish Boys.[1][2][3]

Finis Tasby
BornFebruary 1, 1939
Nevada, Texas, United States
DiedNovember 2, 2014(2014-11-02) (aged 75)
GenresBlues
Instrument(s)Vocals, bass guitar, drums
Years activeLate 1950s–2012

Background and career

There is some confusion over his birth details, depending on which source is referenced. One year quoted is 1939, and that he was born on February 1, in Dallas Texas United States.[4] Another states that he was born in 1940 in Dallas, Texas.[5]

Early years: 1950s and 1960s

While in his teens, he played drums for a local band called The Blues Blasters. In the early 1960s he had moved over to bass guitar. He became a member of a local group called The Thunderbirds, playing bass as well as contributing backup vocals. Later he would work with Z.Z. Hill, Clarence Carter and Lowell Fulson. He also worked with Freddie King when he toured in the region.[6]

1970s onwards

In 1971, he was in Beaumont, Texas, working with Joe Simon and Z.Z. Hill.[4] In 1973, he moved to Los Angeles and worked the blues clubs there. He started a group in LA and opened for artists including B.B. King and Percy Mayfield.[7] In 1981, he appeared in the Burt Reynolds film Sharkeys Machine, where he performed the song "After Hours".[8] In the late 1990s, Tasby began an association with Rand Chortkoff who produced his album, Jump Children. That association would lead to Tasby being the front man for The Mannish Boys which was creation of Chortkoff. The Mannish Boys were nominated numerous times for blues awards. The group's album Double Dynamite received the Traditional blues album of the year award.[9][10] In 2005, he appeared at the Topanga Canyon Blues Festival in Topanga, California.[11] In 2006, he came to Australia and appeared with guitarist Enrico Crivellaro at the Australian Blues Music Festival.[12]

During his career he worked as an automobile mechanic at various stages. He suffered an injury to his hand in the late 1970s which caused him to give up playing bass, for a time. He did return to playing bass on occasion in the early & mid 2000's at several Southern California clubs such as Martini Blues. [13]

In December 2012, he suffered a stroke. Tasby died in November 2014 as a result, aged 75.[14]

Recordings

Among the singles he recorded in were "Get Drunk and Be Somebody" which was released in 1978, and "Blues Mechanic" which was released on Ace Records.[7] In 1995 he released his debut album, People Don’t Care, which was not a commercial success. The album had legs, and potential with the movie "The Babysitter" using 4 songs off the album in that movie starring Alicia Silverstone. And a CD release party at the Hollywood House of Blues as well as a featured night at Universal City Walk's BB Kings Club. The album had guest artists including Lowell Fulson, Mick Taylor, Elvin Bishop and Vernon Reed. In 1998 he released Jump Children. This album did better and had guitarists Kid Ramos and Rick Holmstrom, bassist Larry Taylor and drummer Richard Innes. In 2005 he released What My Blues are All About.[15]

Discography

Singles
  • "Get Drunk and Be Somebody" / "Just a Kiss" – Big Town 724 (1978)[16]
  • "Find Something Else To Do" / "To Many People (In The Street)" – Watts City Records – WC1014 (1987)[17]

33rpm LPs
  • Blues Mechanic - Ace Records Ltd. – Ch 122 (1984)[18]

Cassettes
  • People Don't Care – Shanachie Records 9007 (1995)[19]
  • A Tribute to John Lee Hooker – Kon-Kord Records 6617 (2002)[20]

Compact discs
  • People Don't Care – Shanachie Records SHCD 9007 (1995)[21]
  • Jump Children! – Evidence ECD 26097 - (1998)[22]
  • A Tribute to John Lee Hooker – Kon-Kord Records 6617 (2002)[23]
  • What My Blues are All About – Electro-Fi Records 3390 (2005)[24]

Collaborations

References
  1. "Get Finis Tasby Memorial Blues Packages Here | Medical Expenses". YouCaring. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  2. "Finis Tasby | Grooveshark - Free Music Streaming". Groovesharks.org. 2014-11-02. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  3. "Finis Tasby Passes". Klbc.org. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  4. Blues: A Regional Experience Eric S. LeBlanc and Bob Eagle Page 375, Artists by Ecoregion of Birth
  5. "Finis Tasby - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  6. "Finis Tasby - Delta Groove Music - Blues Artist". Deltagrooveproductions.com. 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  7. Richard Skelly (2014-11-02). "Finis Tasby | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  8. "Sharky's Machine | Library of Congress". Loc.gov. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  9. "bluesfest Programm 2005 Alex Schultz Band feat. Finis Tasby". Bluesfest.de. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  10. Blues-E-News Magazine: Volume 2 issue 4 Page 44, Shout outs to Finis
  11. Dixon, Deborah (2005-07-14). "Keeping the Blues Alive". Topanga Messenger. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  12. "Australian Blues Music Festival - Special international guest artists: Finis Tasby & Enrico Crivellaro (USA)". Australianbluesmusic.com.au. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  13. "Living Blues – Living Blues #236 : Obituaries". Digital.livingblues.com. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  14. "Bluesman Finis Tasby Passes Away at 74 | American Blues Scene Magazine". Americanbluesscene.com. 2014-11-02. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  15. "Finis Tasby (1940 -2014): An Appreciation and Remembrance". BLUES JUNCTION Productions. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  16. "Just a Kiss - Finis Tasby". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  17. "Finis Tasby - Find Something Else To Do (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  18. "Finis Tasby - Blues Mechanic (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  19. "People Don't Care - Finis Tasby | Release Info". AllMusic. 1995-04-18. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  20. "A Tribute to John Lee Hooker - Finis Tasby | Release Credits". AllMusic. 2002-12-03. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  21. "People Don't Care - Finis Tasby | Release Info". AllMusic. 1995-04-18. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  22. "Jump Children! - Finis Tasby | Release Info". AllMusic. 1998-09-15. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  23. "A Tribute to John Lee Hooker - Finis Tasby | Release Info". AllMusic. 2002-12-03. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  24. "What My Blues Are All About - Finis Tasby | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  25. "That's When the Blues Begins - Ruff Kutt Blues Band | Release Info". AllMusic. 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  26. "That's When the Blues Begins - Ruff Kutt Blues Band | Release Info". AllMusic. 2013-02-25. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
  27. "Ruff Kutt Blues Band - That's When The Blues Begins (2013)". Theblues-thatjazz.com. 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2015-09-20.
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