Matt Bissonette (musician)
- Jazz
- jazz fusion
- progressive metal
- instrumental rock
- Bass
- vocals
- David Lee Roth Band
- Ringo Starr and the Roundheads
- Electric Light Orchestra
Matt Bissonette (born July 25, 1961) is an American bass player and vocalist. According to Guitar 9, an online musicianship magazine, he has played bass and other stringed instruments on at least 22 albums, with music styles ranging from jazz, jazz fusion, progressive metal and instrumental rock. Bissonette has played bass with performers such as David Lee Roth (1987–1992), Jeff Lynne and ELO (2001), Ringo Starr (2003–2005), Elton John (2012–2023), and currently REO Speedwagon (2023 - )).[1][2] He is the brother of drummer Gregg Bissonette.
Career
Bissonette attended the University of North Texas's jazz music program. In the early- to mid-1980s, he toured and recorded with jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. For part of his time in the Ferguson band, he played alongside his brother Gregg, which the brothers have done several times in their careers.
Bissonette toured and played with Caspar McCloud for Caspar's Self Portrait album produced by Ahmet Ertegun for Atlantic Records 1982–83.
In late 1987, he replaced Billy Sheehan in the David Lee Roth band. Along with guitar innovator Steve Vai, Matt's brother Gregg (on drums) and keyboardist Brett Tuggle, Matt toured the world behind the former Van Halen vocalist's Billboard #6 album Skyscraper. While on tour with Roth, Bissonette sang the difficult high harmonies made famous in VH classics, such as "Runnin' with the Devil".
In 1989, Bissonette relocated to Vancouver with Roth, his brother Gregg, guitar prodigy Jason Becker and guitarist Steve Hunter, to record the Billboard top 20 album A Little Ain't Enough. Following another world tour in 1991, the Bissonette brothers left the David Lee Roth band. That year, Matt joined Joe Satriani's band.
Following Bissonette's five-year stint with Roth, he played with several other major songwriters, including Brian Wilson (of The Beach Boys), Don Henley (of The Eagles); Bissonette also played with Julian Lennon, Steve Perry (of Journey), Ty Tabor (of King's X), Peter Frampton, and on Gregg Bissonette's solo album.[3]
Bissonette played with Beatles tribute supergroup Yellow Matter Custard, which performed a handful of shows in 2003 and 2011.
In 2003, Bissonette reunited with his brother to back Ringo Starr on a US tour. In 2004, Matt played with vocalist Boz Scaggs on Scaggs' Greatest Hits Live CD and DVD.
In June 2005, the Bissonette brothers once again backed Starr at live shows at Irving Plaza in New York City in June 2005; the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL for the PBS show SoundStage; and the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, as well as on several US TV appearances (CBS This Morning, etc.)
Following his stint with Starr, in 2006, Bissonette became the bass player for Rick Springfield, while singing in his own band the Squirts. Springfield and Bissonette collaborated on Springfield's Venus in Overdrive, which Bissonette co-produced.[4][5] That same year, he is notable for playing bass with trailer rock musical band Globus on their album Epicon.
Bissonette is currently the bass player for Elton John, replacing Bob Birch.[6]
Bissonette also played on the theme songs to the television shows Friends, Just Shoot Me! and The Tracey Ullman Show.[4][5]
On November 7, 2023, Kevin Cronin announced that Bissonette would be REO Speedwagon's touring replacement for Bruce Hall, who took a leave of absence to have back surgery. Bissonette traveled with the band to complete the 2023 tour and will again for selected dates in early 2024. Hall expects to return to touring at some point in 2024.
Discography
With DarWin
- Five Steps on the Sun (2024)
With the Mustard Seeds
- s/t (1996)
- Red (1998)
- III (2008)
With the Squirts
- s/t (2003)
- Resquirted (2006)
With Jeff Lynne
- Zoom Tour Live (2001)
With Jughead
- s/t (2002)
With David Lee Roth
- A Little Ain't Enough (1991)
With Joe Satriani
- The Extremist (1993)
- Strange Beautiful Music (2002)
- Is There Love in Space? (2004)
- G3: Live in Tokyo (2005)
- Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock (2008)
With Ringo Starr
- Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage (2007) Koch Entertainment
- Give More Love (2017)
With Rick Springfield
- Venus in Overdrive (2008)
- Songs for the End of the World (2012)
- Rocket Science (2016)
- The Red Locusts (2021)
With Robbie Angelucci
- A Guy with an Accent (2002)
With Maynard Ferguson
- Storm (1982)
- Live from San Francisco (1985)
With Leon Russel
- Mid Summer Blossoms 2 (1991)
With Boz Scaggs
- Greatest Hits Live (2004)
With Globus
- Epicon (2006)
With Elton John
- Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
Other solo projects
- Spot (1998)
- Spot 2 (2000)
- Raising Lazarus (2004)
- Oh No! Bass Solo! (2004)
- Life of the Party (2009)
- Disposable Planet (2011)
References
- ^ "Off the Record", Exploring, May 1988, p. E10, retrieved 2011-07-23
- ^ Christe, Ian (2008) Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-0-470-37356-9
- ^ Modern Drummer, Volume 24, Issues 7-12, p. 116
- ^ a b Nagy, Evie (2008) "The Billboard Reviews: Albums: Rick Springfield Venus in Overdrive", Billboard, August 2, 2008, p. 33, retrieved 2011-07-23
- ^ a b Springfield, Rick (2010) Late, Late at Night: A Memoir, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-1-4391-9115-6, p. 310
- ^ "EltonJohn.com". EltonJohn.com. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
External links
- Official website
- v
- t
- e
- Empty Sky
- Elton John
- Tumbleweed Connection
- Madman Across the Water
- Honky Château
- Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
- Caribou
- Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
- Rock of the Westies
- Blue Moves
- A Single Man
- Victim of Love
- 21 at 33
- The Fox
- Jump Up!
- Too Low for Zero
- Breaking Hearts
- Ice on Fire
- Leather Jackets
- Reg Strikes Back
- Sleeping with the Past
- The One
- Duets
- Made in England
- The Big Picture
- Songs from the West Coast
- Peachtree Road
- The Captain & the Kid
- The Diving Board
- Wonderful Crazy Night
- Regimental Sgt. Zippo
- The Lockdown Sessions
- Friends
- The Lion King (1994)
- Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida
- The Muse
- The Road to El Dorado
- Gnomeo & Juliet
- Rocketman
- The Lion King (2019)
- Greatest Hits
- Greatest Hits Volume II
- The Thom Bell Sessions
- Lady Samantha
- Greatest Hits Vol. 3
- The Complete Thom Bell Sessions
- To Be Continued
- The Very Best of Elton John
- Rare Masters
- Greatest Hits 1976–1986
- Chartbusters Go Pop
- Classic Elton John
- Love Songs
- Prologue
- Greatest Hits 1970–2002
- Elton John's Christmas Party
- Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits
- Diamonds
- Elton: Jewel Box
- "I've Been Loving You"
- The Thom Bell Sessions
- Remixed
- Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
- The Union
- Good Morning to the Night
- Revamp & Restoration
- 1970 World Tour
- Rock of the Westies Tour
- Louder Than Concorde Tour
- 1979 tour of the Soviet Union
- 1980 World Tour
- Jump Up Tour
- Too Low for Zero Tour
- European Express Tour
- Breaking Hearts Tour
- Ice on Fire Tour
- Tour De Force
- Sleeping with the Past Tour
- The One Tour
- Face to Face 1994
- Face to Face 1995
- Made in England Tour
- Face to Face 1998
- An Evening with Elton John
- Medusa Tour
- Stately Home Tour
- Face to Face 2001
- Songs from the West Coast Tour
- Face to Face 2002
- A Journey Through Time
- 2003 Tour
- Face to Face 2003
- 2004 Tour
- Peachtree Road Tour
- 2006 European Tour
- The Captain and the Kid Tour
- Rocket Man: Greatest Hits Live
- Face to Face 2009
- Face to Face 2010
- 2010 European Tour
- Greatest Hits Tour
- 40th Anniversary of the Rocket Man
- The Diving Board Tour
- Follow the Yellow Brick Road Tour
- All the Hits Tour
- The Final Curtain Tour
- Wonderful Crazy Night Tour
- Farewell Yellow Brick Road
performances
- The Lion King
- 1994 film
- 2019 film
- 1997 musical
- The Road to El Dorado
- Aida
- Billy Elliot the Musical
- Lestat
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Tammy Faye
- Bernie Taupin
- Elton John Band
- Gus Dudgeon
- Paul Buckmaster
- John Reid
- Ray Williams
- Dick James
- DJM Records
- David Furnish
- Kiki Dee
- Elton John AIDS Foundation
- Watford F.C.
- Bluesology
- Hookfoot
- Woodside, Old Windsor
- Rocket Pictures
- Elton John: Tantrums & Tiaras
- Elton John: Me, Myself & I
- The Union
- Elton John: The Classic Years
- Rocketman (film)
- Me
Category