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I loved drums, and I loved bass. If you were a mom with four kids, which instrument do you think I was encouraged to pursue? Well, it was seven years of piano lessons, actually, followed by the acquisition of a string bass--on loan from Parsons College, via my dad's connections to the music department. At the tender age of 11, my professional music career began at a local Ag Show in a pre-teen jazz quartet--we were the adorable hit of the afternoon. The late-60's- early 70's hippie years delivered my explorations into the musical universe on the magic carpet ride of psychedelics, leading to a catharsis of location: I had to get out of the Midwest. So, seeking fame and fortune at the age of 20, I headed for the vague promise of L.A.
Band after band, missed opportunity here, wrong turn there, and it was time to head to the Pacific Northwest in 1983. I had lost my fire for music by then, but a two-year hiatus in the Cascade Rainforest rejuvenated my inspiration. Soon, though, I was able to get to what I thought was my first instrument originally: drums. Two weeks after getting a kit, I was gigging in a country band, and two years later a blues trio, the Mighty Sparrows, and soon was deeply enmeshed in the considerably active Portland Blues Scene. The Sparrows fell apart, as bands do, but I was contacted by a Top 40 band, City Lights, who took me in and set me to playing six nights a week travelling around the Red Lion Hotel chain. After about a year of that, the band broke up, as bands do, and it was back to the Portland Blues scene again.
I was shortly approached by talented Portland guitarist Robbie Laws & The Urban All-Stars, and joined up. After a whirlwind year, we garnered "Best New Band" from the prestigious Cascade Blues Association's Muddy Awards in 1994, and the next year won "Best Contemporary Blues Band" and "Best Northwest Blues Recording" for the all-original CD, "Midnight Rain". I then got the call to the drum chair for the Joanna Connor Band out of Chicago. I toured with her for about a year, did an itinerary in Europe twice and traversed the United States three times. My drumming appears on the Joanna Connor Band Blind Pig Records release "Slide Time" (see link above), along with lyrics and melody for one of the songs penned by me (It's Not the Rock [MP3, 128KHz, 3.4 MB]).
In August, 2000, I was invited to perform with the Terry Evans Band (most famous as the Terry Evans-Bobby King Show in the 80's), and did the Fall 2001 Tour across the U.S. I hosted the Guitarslinger Tuesdays Series with Portland blues stars at Hopper's Blues Club in Portland, OR, as well as the blues jam there Thursday and Tuesday nights for almost a year.
My stint with The Jumpers came to an end in May, 2006, in order for me to pursue some new musical projects, including working with the Cee Cee James Band through the Summer/Fall 2006, and re-upping with the Terry Evans Band for some dates up and down I-5 in November, 2006, January, 2007, and a 3-week tour of the Midwest in May, 2007. A European tour followed with Evans in March, 2009, as well as a tour of Turkey in October, 2009, for the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival with Terry Evans and Shemekia Copeland. I relocated to San Diego, CA, in November, 2011, continuing my touring gigs with Terry Evans. I'm interested in recording/songwriting gigs, so let's talk about your project: 971-269-7050.
Flattering quotes from fellow musicians and fans...
"The rockinest, baddest, bestus, drummer west of the Rio Grande!!"
"Awesome drummer. I tried to get him to move to Chicago."
"It's the greatest drummer in the world!"
"Killer shuffle, man!"
"The best drummer in town."
"Every time people talk about good drummers in town, Boyd's name comes up."
"An award-winning drummer!"
"The most dynamic and energetic drummer that I have ever worked with!" "It's such a treat to play with a drummer who ends a song at the same tempo it starts. Killer player!"
"You are steady, man..."
"I like to call him 'Big Time Boyd.'"
I just wanted to repeat what a great time I had last night.
Boyd is a great individual and regular nice guy with many talents.
"He's the Riverboat Captain of Groove..."
Boyd is a top notch drummer with a bright swing that energizes the rest of the band.
Boyd is an extremely talented muti-faceted drummer that is reliable and very personable.
Thanks, Boyd, the band only had the best of things to say about you and your playing.
Boyd, I'm always amazed at how easy you make it for me, and I just love the way you look when you play. It's like the happiest kid I ever saw! | ||
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I joined up with 
The tour ended May '97, and upon my return home, I was recruited immediately by Portland R&B band, Shade. We had a nice run at the regional scene with mostly original material resulting in a 10-song CD, "City Lights", which made it to the Top 10 of the Northwest Blues charts, and garnered considerable airplay locally. Then, front man Charlie Grant died at his day job, effectively ending the band.
I had played a gig with "E.Z." Eddy Campy back in May, 2002, at Billy Reed's, where I was hosting a Thursday night jam for a minute. E.Z. was subbing, and did a passable job. About a month later, he called me for helping 