Bill Church
Encyclopedia
William 'Bill' Church started out playing bass
in a band called Sawbuck in 1969, with Mojo Collins, Starr Donaldson, Ronnie Montrose
and Chuck Ruff
. As the band was beginning to record their first album, Montrose and Church left Sawbuck to join Van Morrison
on his Tupelo Honey
album. As Montrose went on to Edgar Winter Group's smash They Only Come Out at Night
, Church remained with Morrison and appeared on the Saint Dominic's Preview
LP. When Montrose left Winter to form his own hard rock outfit, Montrose
, Church was recruited along with singer Sammy Hagar
and drummer Denny Carmassi
. Church was replaced on the second Montrose album Paper Money
by Alan Fitzgerald
.
After Hagar left Montrose to start his solo career, Church rejoined the singer for eight studio albums from Nine on a Ten Scale
(1976) to VOA (1984) until Hagar left to front Van Halen
.
Nicknamed "Electric Church," along with Ronnie Montrose and Denny Carmassi, had a "Montrose reunion" on Hagar's Marching To Mars CD (1997) on the song "Leaving The Warmth Of The Womb."
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in a band called Sawbuck in 1969, with Mojo Collins, Starr Donaldson, Ronnie Montrose
Ronnie Montrose
Ronnie Montrose, is an Amercian rock guitarist who has headed his own bands as well as performing with a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, Dan Hartman, Edgar...
and Chuck Ruff
Chuck ruff (musician)
Chuck Ruff was an American rock drummer well known for his work with Edgar Winter on the popular instrumental "Frankenstein".-Biography:...
. As the band was beginning to record their first album, Montrose and Church left Sawbuck to join Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
on his Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey is the fifth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in October 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. Morrison had written all of the songs on the album in Woodstock, New York before his move to Marin County, California, except for "You're My Woman", which...
album. As Montrose went on to Edgar Winter Group's smash They Only Come Out at Night
They Only Come Out at Night
*They Only Come Out at Night is the fourth studio album by The Edgar Winter Group. It went to No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, eventually sold two million copies, and features two of the band's biggest hits, "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride" .In 2006, the album was reissued on Super Audio CD...
, Church remained with Morrison and appeared on the Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview
Saint Dominic's Preview is the sixth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in July 1972 by Warner Bros. Records...
LP. When Montrose left Winter to form his own hard rock outfit, Montrose
Montrose (band)
Montrose was a California-based hard rock band. The band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar...
, Church was recruited along with singer Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
and drummer Denny Carmassi
Denny Carmassi
Denny Carmassi is an American drummer.Carmassi was a member of the first four line-ups of the band Montrose. After Montrose, he played with his former Montrose bandmate Sammy Hagar as a solo artist, and with his former Montrose bandmates Ronnie Montrose and Jim Alcivar in the band Gamma.He also...
. Church was replaced on the second Montrose album Paper Money
Paper Money
Paper Money is the second album by the band Montrose. It was released in 1974 and was the band's last album to feature Sammy Hagar as lead vocalist.-History:...
by Alan Fitzgerald
Alan Fitzgerald
Alan Fitzgerald, U.S. musician , was a member of several U.S. bands.He played as a bassist in the bands Montrose and Gamma, both of which also featured guitarist Ronnie Montrose....
.
After Hagar left Montrose to start his solo career, Church rejoined the singer for eight studio albums from Nine on a Ten Scale
Nine on a Ten Scale
Nine on a Ten Scale is Sammy Hagar's first solo album.- Song information :* "Keep On Rockin'", a Hagar original, was covered by Bette Midler on the classic soundtrack to The Rose, albeit in a vastly different version....
(1976) to VOA (1984) until Hagar left to front Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
.
Nicknamed "Electric Church," along with Ronnie Montrose and Denny Carmassi, had a "Montrose reunion" on Hagar's Marching To Mars CD (1997) on the song "Leaving The Warmth Of The Womb."
Albums
- Sawbuck - Sawbuck (1971)
- Van Morrison - Tupelo HoneyTupelo HoneyTupelo Honey is the fifth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in October 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. Morrison had written all of the songs on the album in Woodstock, New York before his move to Marin County, California, except for "You're My Woman", which...
(1971) - Van Morrison - Saint Dominic's PreviewSaint Dominic's PreviewSaint Dominic's Preview is the sixth solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in July 1972 by Warner Bros. Records...
(1972) - Montrose - MontroseMontrose (album)Montrose is the debut album by the band Montrose in 1973 which was produced by Ted Templeman.- History :After having done sessions work for various musicians including Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock and Edgar Winter, this was Ronnie Montrose's first record leading his own band. It featured then...
(1973) - Sammy Hagar - Nine on a Ten ScaleNine on a Ten ScaleNine on a Ten Scale is Sammy Hagar's first solo album.- Song information :* "Keep On Rockin'", a Hagar original, was covered by Bette Midler on the classic soundtrack to The Rose, albeit in a vastly different version....
(1976) - Sammy Hagar - Sammy Hagar (the "Red" album) (1977)
- Sammy Hagar - Musical ChairsMusical Chairs (Sammy Hagar album)-Song information:"Try " was originally released as a single by Rick Nelson.-Track listing:# "Turn Up the Music" - 3:35# "It's Gonna Be All Right" - 4:11# "You Make Me Crazy" - 2:47...
(1977) - Sammy Hagar - All Night LongAll Night Long (Sammy Hagar album)All Night Long is Sammy Hagar's first live album. The album contains no overdubs. The album was recorded during concerts in San Francisco, San Antonio, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz and Santa Monica.- Track listing :...
(Live) (1978) - Sammy Hagar - Street MachineStreet Machine (Sammy Hagar album)-Song information:* The track "Wounded in Love" was co-written by Hagar's then-wife Betsy.* The track "Falling In Love" features backing vocals by Brad Delp, Barry Goudreau, and Sib Hashian of the group Boston.-Track listing:# "Growing Pains" - 3:46...
(1979) - Sammy Hagar - Danger ZoneDanger Zone (Sammy Hagar album)Danger Zone is a Sammy Hagar solo album, his last new studio album during his tenure with Capitol records. The album features appearances by Journey singer Steve Perry and Journey guitarist Neal Schon.-Song information:...
(1979) - Sammy Hagar - Standing HamptonStanding HamptonStanding Hampton is a Sammy Hagar solo album, his first after moving from Capitol Records to Geffen. Five of its singles charted in either the mainstream rock or pop singles charts....
(1981) - Sammy Hagar - Three Lock BoxThree Lock BoxThree Lock Box is a Sammy Hagar solo album, which features appearances by Loverboy's Mike Reno, Journey's Jonathan Cain, and Mr. Mister's Richard Page. His only top 20 solo hit, "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy", reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983....
(1982) - Sammy Hagar - Live 1980Live 1980Live 1980 is a Sammy Hagar live album recording during the tour promoting his then-newsest album Danger Zone. The majority of this album contains track from this album and its predecessor, Street Machine...
(1983) - Sammy Hagar - VOA (1984)
- Sammy Hagar - Marching to MarsMarching to MarsMarching to Mars is Sammy Hagar's first post-Van Halen solo album. It features various musicians on different songs. It was released on MCA Records, which had by that point acquired his former label, Geffen Records...
(1997) - Van Morrison - The Philosopher's StoneThe Philosopher's Stone (album)The Philosopher's Stone is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison released in 1998 .The songs released on this 2-CD thirty track album were previously unreleased outtakes from 1969 to 1988...
(1998) 2 previously unreleased songs recorded in 1971 "Ordinary People" and "Wonderful Remark" - the DHC band- the DHC band (2011)
Trivia
- Bill Church’s son, Trevor, plays guitar in the rock band An AngleAn AngleAn Angle was an indie rock band from Sacramento, California. At the center of this group was singer-songwriter Kris Anaya. The band was signed to Drive-Thru Records...
. - Bill is currently in [the DHC band] (Davis,Hodge,Church) with Tom Davis and Perry Hodge