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Supporting Cast
Over the years, many people have traveled with
Bill and Bonnie, either as pickers, drivers, road managers or pets. Here
are the names of some of them, beginning with the current line-up.
THE CURRENT TEAM
Cathy Faber, Santa Fe, NM
Cathy
Faber is a Seattle native, who moved to Santa Fe in April 2001 with her
husband Brian. They left their
grown children behind. Cathy
played bluegrass, folk, cowgirl, country material in Seattle in the 80's.
She put together a popular band in Seattle called Ranch Romance
and later sang with a Portland group called Ranch Dressing.
That was in 1990. When
that band dried up Cathy didn't play professionally until recently. In the
meantime she had started her own whistle business and did craft fairs and such
for ten years. You can check them
out at her website www.whimsicalwhistles.com>
A few years ago Cathy decided she wanted to learn
to play upright bass, and all kinds of new opportunities opened up after that.
She has played some with Santa Fe’s Buckarettes and with Luke Reed. Not
long after that, Cathy met Bill who asked if she would accompany him
when regular bassist Susan Holmes was pursuing other musical interests. Cathy has been playing regularly with Bill for a few months
now and is delighted to have the opportunity.
Susan Hyde Holmes, Santa Fe, NM
In addition to her rock solid bass work, Susan
Hyde Holmes lends her engaging presence to the stage when she performs
with Bill and Bonnie. A student of renowned Los Angeles session bassist
Carol Kaye and a veteran performer, Susan takes her bass work -- and her
harmony vocals -- very seriously. Susan also works as a graphic artist
for the Museum of New Mexico in Santa Fe.
Susan has two horses and two dogs that are affectionately
known in her house as the "quads." The horses are Jake &
Miami, both boys (geldings), and both quarter horses. Susan says that
"Miami is the love of my life and puts up with my attempts at team
roping. He makes me look like I know what I'm doing!"
The dogs, both Australian Blue Heelers, are Annie,
age 13, and Smoky, age 3. These "children" allow humans on the
new couch most of the time. Susan says that when they told Annie she was
a cow dog, Annie thought they said Couch Dog.
John Egenes,
Santa Fe NM
A multi-instrumentalist, John plays mandolin on
"Diamonds in the Rough". He also wrote "Muley Brown,"
the song on "Diamonds..." that is recorded as a duet by Bill
and Jerry Jeff Walker. John played a key role in the conceptual stages
of the album by encouraging Bill and Bonnie to ask some of their long-time
friends to help 'em out the album. John also performs and records with
singer/songwriter and longtime friend, Eliza Gilkyson.
John is currently on leave from Bill and Bonnie but still joins them on
occasion, as he did in Los Angeles at the Greek Theater and at McCabe's.
Pat Immel,
Santa Fe, NM
Patrick Immel has been assisting Bill and Bonnie
since 1998. Pat is a classically trained trumpet player and a
Founding / Charter member of the Scottsdale (AZ) Symphonic Orchestra. He
was the rehearsal coordinator for the trumpet section and principle trumpet
player for the Santa Fe Opera and the community production of the opera
"Noah's Flood."
Pat was a cast member and played cornet in the CBS
production of the mini-series "Buffalo Girls." He got to hang
out with Reba McIntyre. His msot cherished memory was trying to
"spin" a "pun" for Reba, but started off by calling her
Rita! She was most gracious nonetheless and relished his
pun.
Pat also played cornet onscreen and helped record the
soundtrack for the Japanese production entitled "East Meets
West." One day, while waiting in between shoots, Pat was whistling
bird calls while seated near the principle Japanese actors. After the
shoot, one of the Japanese actors, who is considered the "Tom
Cruise" of Japan, came over to Pat, smiled, and bonked him on the head
with his ceremonial fan.
Pat has now had the honor of doing the horn
arrangements and playing trumpet with Bonnie on two of her own songs,
"Sweet Mountain Breeze" and "Saturday Night Girl."
Bill and Bonnie's roadie and "drahver,"
Pat considers himself a die hard Bill and Bonnie fan.
Odessa, Santa Fe,
NM 1999 - present
Odessa is Bonnie's seeing eye dog. She is a
beautiful 55 lb golden retriever and is a true sweetheart and companion for
Bonnie on those long drives.
THE ALUMNI
Michael Hearne,
Taos
NM
Mike is Bill's nephew and a talented picker in
his own right. His "New Mexico Rain" closes "Diamonds in
the Rough" and has been recorded by Johnny Rodriguez.
Mike's 2002 release Sight and Sound is an award winning album that
presents Mike's interpretation of paintings inspired by the American
Southwest.
Mike, a noted
flat-picker, is also the front man for South by Southwest, the premier country
dance band in northern New Mexico. Mike was also a founding member of the
Great American Honky Tonk Band, the band that backed Michael Martin Murphey
in the late 70's and early 80's.
Dave Magill
Dave played bass for Bill and Bonnie in
the 1970's and 80's and appeared on Smilin', Bill and Bonnie's first album.
He left New Mexico to return to Austin and was working in the Austin Public
Library.
Larry Nye,
Kingsland TX
Larry played bass and lead guitar with Bill and
Bonnie in the late 1970's. With Bill and Bonnie's blessing, Larry left
to accompany Steven Fromholz on guitar. Larry currently owns a studio in
Kingsland, TX.
Craig Barker, AustinTX
Craig was Bill and Bonnie's bass player and driver
in the early 1980's. He currently practices entertainment law in Austin. Craig
has been known to spend time fly fishing and, rumor has it that he ties
a mean fly.
Jon Mastin,
Dallas TX
Jon plays acoustic bass -- not an upright! --
with Bill and Bonnie and has been with them since August of 1997. Jon has
shared his talents with Gary P. Nunn and Ray Wiley Hubbard. Jon plays with
Bill and Bonnie when they are touring in the Dallas area.
Paul McCutchen,
Austin, TX
Paul drove for Bill and Bonnie from the Summer
of 1997 into the Summer of 1998. Paul lives in Austin, TX and is in the
mortgage business. Paul says, "What I am most excited about is my
role in the Green Movement. I find funding for green building projects
both residential and commercial. I am a proud member of the Sustainable
Building Coalition, City of Austin Green Building Program, Straw Bale
Association of Texas, Texas Steel Framing Alliance and the Austin Area Dome
Builders Association. I drop everything when Bill and Bonnie come to
Texas and put on my road dog hat."
Steve Brogden, Thousand
Oaks, CA
Steve Brogden was road manager for Bill and Bonnie
during the late 1970's. They met when Steve was director of the University
of New Mexico's Harwood Foundation in Taos. Steve played an integral role
during the 1977 recording of "Smilin," Bill and Bonnie's first
album. Bill and Bonnie and label-owner Mike Williams were kind enough to
give Steve credit as a co-producer on the album.
Steve has maintained his friendship with Bill
and Bonnie all this time and currently maintains their web site. By day,
he is the director of the Thousand Oaks Library in Thousand Oaks (CA).
Umba, 197?-1985
Umba was Bonnie's special road companion during
the late 1970's. She retired from road travel in 1983.
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Katy, Santa
Fe NM
Katy is a seven year old Pomeranian who rode
at Bonnie's side in 1997 and 1998. Katy remains a very dear friend to Bonnie
but just wasn't made to handle all those miles.
Bill
& Bonnie's
Friends on the Net
1. Nanci
Griffith
2. Larrivee
Guitars
3. Mike
Hearne
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