Reader Spotlight: Christopher Halson Griffiths

Christopher Halson Griffiths

Meet Christopher Halson Griffiths, a busy bassist from Nashville who jokes that he started playing the bass because “he wasn’t very good at guitar.” Joking aside, Christopher has an impressive resume.

Christopher is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story…

Bio:

Nashville resident and Michigan native has managed to play bass in 3 countries and 49 states in his 20-year career. From bar bands to the Ryman Christopher he plays over 280 dates a year in between writing and producing for four-time voted best local band in Nashville, Anthony Orio and the Goodfellers, and other independent country acts. Recently his work on Crystal Shawanda’s sophomore effort (writing/playing) won a Juno in Canada. A modern player with a flat sound aesthetic, Christopher is a true workhorse musician and can be found with his low end basses touring the country or on any given night on Broadway in Nashville.

Location:

Nashville/Tennessee/USA

Day gig:

Well, I used to be a ski instructor, and I was a late night disc jockey for a long time, but I haven’t had a day job in 10 years. So being a husband, I guess.

Years experience:

25 years. I played my first gig at 15.

Bands & Gigs:

I play and write, and co-produce for a guy named Anthony Orio in Nashville. We travel a lot and have a new album on the way. The band is a bar band experience turned up to 11 very high energy. Currently, I’m writing this from a sound check at the MGM Grand in Vegas where we are playing this week.

Gear:

  • GK Fusion 550
  • Demeter 800 lunchbox head
  • Schroeder Cabinets
  • 21012
  • 1012
  • 18
  • Low end basses
  • LEP Blonde 5
  • LEJ Fiesta Red 5
  • LEJ Sea Foam Green 5
  • LET Inverness Green 4
  • Benavente 4 Roadworn
  • Dunlop Bass Wah
  • MXR DI+
  • Red Bull

Why I play the bass:

I wasn’t very good at guitar! Seriously, I was playing bass and guitar on my own garage projects and people hired me for bass a lot so my talents on the low end just seemed to accelerate faster then any of my other instruments. Though if I could take it back I would be a harmonica player – less to carry.

My bass superpower/claim to fame:

I take my shirt off on stage and rap the Fresh Prince. Other then that there’s only bass and guitar in most my bands so comping inside the song using busier bass lines without sticking out is probably what I do best much in the style of George Porter, Jr. I can also sing and play which is pretty much what gets me all my gigs.

My influences:

George Porter, Willie Weeks, Mike Watt, Oteil Burbridge, Thundercat, and I really really really like Marcus Miller.

More on the web:

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