Toby Myers, John Mellencamp’s Bassist Through the ’80s and ’90s, Has Passed Away
Longtime John Mellencamp bassist Toby Myers has died at the age of 75. He had been battling cancer for several years. The news was shared on Mellencamp’s website.
“Sadness has entered the Mellencamp band and John over the passing of a longtime member,” it stated. “Toby was a great contribution to the music, and the band. We will miss him as a friend, and a fellow musician.”
Myers was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and began playing with bands in high school. He joined a band called Pure Funk in 1971. The group would change their name to Roadmaster and would gain notoriety after being discovered by Todd Rundgren.
Myers joined Mellencamp – then going by John Cougar – in the early ’80s. His first appearance with the band was on Saturday Night Live on April 10, 1982. He missed out on recording American Fool, which was released two days after his debut show, but would first appear on 1983’s Uh-Huh, which featured the hits “Pink Houses,” “Authority Song,” and “Crumblin’ Down.”
The bassist stayed with Mellencamp through 1999, touring and recording as part of his main backing band. Myers left the band following the birth of his son Cash in order to stay home and be with his family. He would continue to perform in bands like No Net, Daisy Chain, and the Mellencamp tribute band Mellencougar.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Toby Myers.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
