Timothy B. Schmit

Biographical Sketch

Timothy Bruce Schmit (born Oakland, CA, USA, October 30, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and The Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Eagles.

Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group Tim, Tom & Ron at age 15. That group evolved into a surf band called the Contenders, then changed its name to the New Breed (sometimes known simply as The Breed). As the New Breed, they had one big radio hit: the catchy, Animals-inspired Green Eyed Woman, released 1965. Changing its name once again to Glad, the group recorded the album Feelin’ Glad in 1968.

In 1968, Schmit auditioned for Poco but was turned down in favor of founding member Randy Meisner. When Meisner quit the band in 1970, Schmit replaced him on bass and vocals. He wrote and was lead singer on the song Keep On Tryin’, Poco‘s biggest hit single to that point, peaking at #50 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. Apart from Poco, Schmit also contributed vocals to Firefall‘s 1977 hit, Just Remember I Love You. – Schmit also played bass and sang backing vocals on several Steely Dan albums.

In 1977, Schmit joined The Eagles after the Hotel California tour, once again replacing Randy Meisner on bass/vocals after Meisner quit. Schmit is the only native Californian to be a member of the band. On the 1979 album The Long Run, Schmit co-wrote and sang lead on the song I Can’t Tell You Why. The Eagles broke up in 1980 and reunited in 1994, with Schmit singing the lead vocal on Love Will Keep Us Alive, on the reunion album Hell Freezes Over. – In 2007, The Eagles released a new album, Long Road Out of Eden, which again includes several songs (co-)written by Schmit and featuring him on lead vocals. Schmit continues to be part of the Eagles lineup along with Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Joe Walsh.

After The Eagles broke up in 1980, Schmit embarked on a solo career, recording several albums of his own, as well as singing vocals and playing bass for hire during studio sessions. His voice can be heard on many hits, including Bob Seger’s Fire Lake and Boz Scaggs‘ Look What You’ve Done To Me (each with Frey and Henley), Don Felder’s Heavy Metal (Takin’ A Ride) (with Henley), and Crosby, Stills and Nash‘s Southern Cross, where he sang harmony. He was also a background musician on two of Don Henley‘s hit songs, Dirty Laundry and You Don’t Know Me at All. Schmit teamed with his predecessor in both Poco and The Eagles, Randy Meisner, along with their mutual Eagles bandmate Joe Walsh, to provide background vocals to the 1987 Richard Marx hit Don’t Mean Nothing. He also performed on the Toto 1983 hit singles I Won’t Hold You Back and Africa, and the Jars of Clay song Everything In Between. Schmit toured with Jimmy Buffett, in 1983, 1984, and 1985 as a member of the Coral Reefer Band, and coined the term “Parrotheads” to describe Buffett’s fans. In 1988, Schmit was involved in the Cinemax Television special Black and White Night featuring Roy Orbison. He was a member of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band in 1992. In 2000, he toured with Dan Fogelberg, from which resulted a live album, Dan Fogelberg Live.

Schmit’s fifth solo album, Expando, appeared on October 20, 2009; followed by Leap of Faith, which was released on September 23, 2016 and was the first release of an Eagles member since the death of bandmate Glenn Frey in January 2016. On Schmit’s solo albums, many notable artists with whom he collaborated on their own efforts returned the favor by appearing on his albums in turn; including several of his former and current Eagles bandmates. — In May 2012, Schmit was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music

Major Awards and Honors

Hall of Fame Inductions

Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame

1998: Member of The Eagles

Vocal Group Hall of Fame

2001: Member of The Eagles

Others

Grammies

1979: Best Rock Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group – “Heartache Tonight”
Grammy awarded to: The Eagles (Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh), artist.
2007: Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals – “How Long”
Grammy awarded to: The Eagles (Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B Schmit, Joe Walsh), artist.
2008: Best Pop Instrumental Performance – “I Dreamed There Was No War”
Grammy awarded to: The Eagles (Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B Schmit, Joe Walsh), artist.

American Music Awards

1981: Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group – The Eagles
1996: Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group – The Eagles
1996: Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist – The Eagles
1996: Favorite Pop/Rock Album – The Eagles: “Hell Freezes Over”

Silver Clef Awards (Great Britain)

2006: The Eagles

Rolling Stone Magazine

100 Greatest Artists of All Time: #75 – The Eagles

VH1

100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll: #23 – The Eagles

Country Music Television

40 Greatest Men of Country Music: #34 – The Eagles

Discography

Solo Releases

Albums

Playin’ It Cool (1984)
Timothy B (1987)
Tell Me the Truth (1990)
Feed the Fire (2001)
Expando (2009)
Leap of Faith (2016)

Soundtrack Contributions

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
– Song: So Much In Love.
Secret Admirer (1985)
– Song: Leaving It Up to You.
Fresh Horses (1988)
– Song: Into the Night.
Cry-Baby (1990)
– Songs: Sh Boom (with Gerry Beckley and Andrew Gold) and Mister Sandman (with Rachel Sweet and Gerry Beckley).
Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead Soundtrack (1991)
– Song: I Only Have Eyes for You.
Bye Bye Love (1995)
– Song: Let It Be Me (with Jackson Browne).
Rock On: Everybody Have Fun Tonight 1987 (1996)
– Song: Boys Night Out.
Steal This Movie (2000)
– Song: Carry On.