T. M. Stevens
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Thomas Michael Stevens (July 28, 1951 – March 10, 2024) was an American
bass guitarist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), keyboard bass (synth bass) or a low bra ...
from
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. He recorded and toured with an array of rock, R&B, and pop acts as a
session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...
and also worked as a solo performer.


Career


Early recordings and solo work

Stevens, who sometimes went by the name Shaka Zulu, began his career playing bass in the group Space Cadets, with whom he released a self-titled album in 1981. Between 1986 and 1987, he was a member of
the Pretenders The Pretenders are a British rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (ba ...
, recording the album '' Get Close'' with them in 1986. In 1993, he joined Vai, a short-lived group formed by
Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai ( ; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a Transcription (music), transc ...
to record and promote his third studio album, '' Sex & Religion''. The group also included
Devin Townsend Devin Garrett Townsend (born May 5, 1972) is a Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He founded extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad and was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also ...
on vocals and
Terry Bozzio Terry John Bozzio (born December 27, 1950) is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons, U.K., and Frank Zappa. He has been featured on nine solo or collaborative albums, 26 albums with Zappa and seven albums with Missi ...
on drums. In 1995, Stevens began recording his own material with the backing band Out of Control and released two albums, ''Boom'' (1995) and ''Sticky Wicked'' (1996). In 1997, he produced and arranged the album ''Black Night –
Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
Tribute According to New York'', performing on seven of its eleven tracks. In 2000, Stevens recorded the album ''International Telephone'' with German drummer Marco Minnemann's group
Illegal Aliens Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...
. The same year, he released ''Boomparty 2000'' with the Boombasstics and in 2008, he issued ''Brothers in Arms'' with the group Temple of Soul.


Session work and touring

Stevens has recorded and toured with many artists, including Yoshiaki Masuo,
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
,
Nona Hendryx Nona Bernis Hendryx (born October 9, 1944) is an American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Ma ...
,
Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...
,
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...
,
Little Steven Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared i ...
,
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
,
Narada Michael Walden Narada Michael Walden ( ; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy. He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jazz ...
,
Taylor Dayne Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wunderman; March 7, 1962) is an American singer who rose to fame after her first two albums ('' Tell It to My Heart'' and '' Can't Fight Fate'') were both certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of ...
,
Stevie Salas Stevie Salas (born November 17, 1964) is an American guitarist, author, television host, music director, record producer, film composer, and former advisor of contemporary music at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Salas ...
, and
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
.


Personal life and death

On September 16, 2017, Stevens' fellow musician and friend Ronny Drayton announced on his Facebook page that Stevens had advanced dementia and was living in a nursing home. Stevens died March 10, 2024, at the age of 72.


Discography


Solo

Albums * ''Boom'' (with Out of Control, 1995) * ''Sticky Wicked'' (with Out of Control, 1996) * ''Black Night – Deep Purple Tribute According to New York'' (1997) * ''Radioactive'' (1999) * ''Shocka Zooloo'' (2001) * ''Limousine Drive (Original Soundtrack)'' (2001) * ''Africans in the Snow'' (2007)


with Space Cadets

* ''Space Cadets'' (1981)


with the Pretenders

* '' Get Close'' (1986)


with Vai

* '' Sex & Religion'' (1993)


with Illegal Aliens

* ''International Telephone'' (2000)


with The Boombasstics

* ''Boomparty 2000'' (2000)


with Temple of Soul

* ''Brothers in Arms'' (2008)


Other

* Sherry Winston featuring
Eric Gale Eric Gale (September 20, 1938 – May 25, 1994) was an American jazz and jazz fusion guitarist. Biography Eric Gale was born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. His grandfather was English, and Gale had relatives in Venezuela and Bar ...
, Buddy Williams & T.M. Stevens – ''Do It for Love'' (1986) * Travers & Appice featuring: T.M. Stevens – ''Live'' (2005)


Selected recordings with other artists

* Yoshiaki Masuo – ''Good Morning'' (1979) * Yoshiaki Masuo – ''Sunshine Avenue'' (1979) *
Narada Michael Walden Narada Michael Walden ( ; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy. He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jazz ...
– ''Dance of Life'' (1979) * Yoshiaki Masuo – ''Masuo Live'' (1980) *
David Sancious David Sancious (born November 30, 1953) is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on '' Human Touch'' (1992), '' Tr ...
– ''Just As I Thought'' (1980) * Yoshiaki Masuo – ''Mellow Focus'' (1982) * Lovebug Starski – ''House Rocker'' (1986) *
Billy Squier William Haislip Squier (, born May 12, 1950) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who had a string of arena rock and crossover hits in the early 1980s. His best-known songs include " The Stroke", " Lonely Is the Night", " My Kinda Love ...
– '' Enough Is Enough'' (1986) * Gregory Abbott – ''
Shake You Down "Shake You Down" is a song by American R&B artist, writer and producer Gregory Abbott. It was released in August 1986 as the lead single from his debut album of the same name. It became Abbott's biggest hit and was certified platinum by the RIA ...
'' (1986) *
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
– ''
Gravity In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force b ...
'' (1986) *
Nona Hendryx Nona Bernis Hendryx (born October 9, 1944) is an American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Ma ...
– ''Female Trouble'' (1987) *
Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...
– '' Unchain My Heart'' (1987) *
Little Steven Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared i ...
– '' Freedom – No Compromise'' (1987) *
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– ''Paint Another Picture'' (1988) *
Taylor Dayne Taylor Dayne (born Leslie Wunderman; March 7, 1962) is an American singer who rose to fame after her first two albums ('' Tell It to My Heart'' and '' Can't Fight Fate'') were both certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of ...
– '' Can't Fight Fate'' (1989) *
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...
– '' Night to Remember'' (1989) * Joe Cocker – '' One Night of Sin'' (1989) *
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
– '' Foreign Affair'' (1989) * Joe Cocker – '' Joe Cocker Live'' (1990) *
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– '' The Privilege of Power'' (1990) * Joe Cocker – '' Night Calls'' (1991) *
Curtis Stigers Curtis Stigers (born October 18, 1965) is an American jazz singer. He achieved a number of hits in the early 1990s, most notably the international hit " I Wonder Why" (1991), which reached No. 5 in the UK and No. 9 in the US. Career S ...
– ''
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'' (1991) * Taylor Dayne – '' Soul Dancing'' (1993) *
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
– '' River of Dreams'' (1993) *
Stevie Salas Stevie Salas (born November 17, 1964) is an American guitarist, author, television host, music director, record producer, film composer, and former advisor of contemporary music at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Salas ...
– ''Stevie Salas Presents: The Electric Pow Wow'' (1993) * hide – ''
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'' (1994) * The Uptown Horns – ''The Uptown Horns Revue'' (1994) * Curtis Stigers – ''Time Was'' (1995) * Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers – '' American Babylon'' (1995) * Jean-Paul Bourelly – ''Tribute to Jimi'' (1995) * Cissy Houston – '' He Leadeth Me'' (1997) * Nicklebag – ''Mas Feedback'' (1997) *
Stacy Lattisaw Stacy Lattisaw Jackson (née Lattisaw; born November 25, 1966) is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C., United States. Career When she was 11 years old, singer/songwriter Frederick Knight attempted to sign Lattisaw to his production ...
– ''The Very Best of Stacy Lattisaw'' (1998) * Space Cadets – ''Da Bomb'' (1999) *
2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...
– '' The Rose That Grew from Concrete'' (2000) * Aina – ''Days of Rising Doom: The Metal Opera'' (2003) *
Victor Wooten Victor Lemonte Wooten (born September 11, 1964) is an American bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He has been the bassist for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones since the group's formation in 1988 and a member of the band SMV with two other ...
– '' Soul Circus'' (2005) * Travers & Appice – ''It Takes a Lot of Balls'' (2004) * Trystette – ''The Deepest Part of My Soul' (2006) * The Headhunters – ''On Top: Live in Europe'' (2008)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, T. M. 1951 births 2024 deaths American rock bass guitarists American funk bass guitarists American male bass guitarists American male guitarists African-American guitarists The Pretenders members People from West Long Branch, New Jersey Guitarists from New York (state) 20th-century American guitarists Deaths from dementia in the United States