Keith Ferguson (musician)
Encyclopedia
Keith Ferguson was a bass guitar
ist, best remembered as a member of the blues rock band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
, based in Austin
, Texas
. Ferguson received several awards for his musicianship.
Ferguson was born July 23, 1946, and raised in the 'Sexto' - the Sixth Ward of Houston
Texas
, where he graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1964.
In 1974, Ferguson was a founding member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds
, along with vocalists Lou Ann Barton
and Kim Wilson
and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan
. (Barton left soon after the group began.) The band had an initial large local following, but was unable to maintain a sustained following with commercially positive results. More than five years of being dropped by small and large record labels, with Chrysalis records
being the last in their initial period to drop the band, there was a hiatus of several years, during which time a re-shuffling of band members began to take place, and Ferguson was one of the first to leave.
Ferguson went on to become a member of the Tailgators along with Don Leady and Gary "Mudcat" Smith
http://www.thetailgators.com/
After the Tailgators broke up Ferguson freelanced with a number of Austin blues bands on the 6 Street blues circuit. He held court on the front porch of his South Austin home and is sadly missed on the Austin music scene.
Ferguson's official cause of death is listed as complications from liver failure
.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist, best remembered as a member of the blues rock band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...
, based in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Ferguson received several awards for his musicianship.
Ferguson was born July 23, 1946, and raised in the 'Sexto' - the Sixth Ward of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1964.
In 1974, Ferguson was a founding member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...
, along with vocalists Lou Ann Barton
Lou Ann Barton
Lou Ann Barton is an American blues singer based, out of Austin, Texas since the 1970s.-Biography:...
and Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson is an American blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for The Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s; "Tuff Enuff", and "Wrap It Up."-Career:...
and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan
Jimmie Vaughan
James Lawrence "Jimmie" Vaughan is an American blues rock guitarist and singer from Dallas, Texas, United States. He is the older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan....
. (Barton left soon after the group began.) The band had an initial large local following, but was unable to maintain a sustained following with commercially positive results. More than five years of being dropped by small and large record labels, with Chrysalis records
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
being the last in their initial period to drop the band, there was a hiatus of several years, during which time a re-shuffling of band members began to take place, and Ferguson was one of the first to leave.
Ferguson went on to become a member of the Tailgators along with Don Leady and Gary "Mudcat" Smith
http://www.thetailgators.com/
After the Tailgators broke up Ferguson freelanced with a number of Austin blues bands on the 6 Street blues circuit. He held court on the front porch of his South Austin home and is sadly missed on the Austin music scene.
Ferguson's official cause of death is listed as complications from liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
.
With the Fabulous Thunderbirds
- 1979 Girls Go WildGirls Go WildGirls Go Wild is the debut studio album by Texas based Blues Rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds released in 1979. The album initially sold poorly, but is now regarded as a successful white blues recording...
- 1980 What's the WordWhat's the WordWhat's the Word is the second studio album by Texas based Blues Rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds released in 1980. The album, like its predecessor initially sold poorly, but is now regarded as a successful white blues recording...
- 1981 Butt Rockin'Butt Rockin'Butt Rockin' is the third studio album by Texas based Blues Rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds. The recording took the band closer to old rhythm and blues and added additional musicians playing piano and brass...
with The Fabulous ThunderbirdsThe Fabulous ThunderbirdsThe Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,... - 1982 T-Bird RhythmT-Bird RhythmT-Bird Rhythm is the fourth studio album by Texas based Blues Rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds released in 1982. The recording features a mixture of covers and originals.- Track listing :All tracks composed by Kim Wilson; except where indicated...
- 2003 Thunderbirds Tacos Deluxe
With the Tail Gators
- 1985 Swamp Rock
- 1986 Mumbo JumboMumbo JumboMumbo Jumbo may refer to:*Mumbo jumbo , an English phrase for a meaningless ritual or nonsense*Mumbo Jumbo , a rollercoaster at Flamingo Land Resort, UK*Mumbo Jumbo , a video-game character...
- 1987 Tore Up
- 1988 Hide Your Eyes
- 1989 OK Let's Go
With other artists
- 1983 Havana MoonHavana MoonHavana Moon is a 1983 album by Carlos Santana released as a solo project.It features covers of Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry songs and performances by Booker T & the MGs, Willie Nelson and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and also Carlos' father Jose singing "Vereda Tropical" — a song Carlos had first...
with Carlos SantanaCarlos SantanaCarlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion... - 1983 Check This Action with LeRoi Brothers
- 2000 Theresa Andersson with Theresa AnderssonTheresa AnderssonTheresa Andersson is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-General:Andersson came to New Orleans in 1990 to play violin with fellow singer-songwriter and Swede, Anders Osborne. Nine years later, she left the band...
- 2003 Surrender with Debra KillingsDebra KillingsDebra Killings is an American singer and bass guitarist; notable for an extensive session and background vocal work for LaFace Records & Rowdy Records-based artists such as TLC, Monica and OutKast....