Chris Ethridge

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Chris Ethridge - Music Artists
Meridian, MS.

Chris Ethridge  was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1947. 


An American country rock bass guitarist, he  is probably the greatest bass guitarist Mississippi has ever produced and is among the top ranked bass players in the world. Chris Ethridge, 65, of Meridian, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 23, 2012, at Anderson Regional Medical Center in his hometown. Chris is a widely celebrated musician, bassist and song-writer, a founding member of the highly influential country-rock band “The Flying Burrito Brothers”. His work as a studio session player in the heyday of the Los Angeles rock-and-roll recording industry is the focus of many musicologists, and recognized as a tremendously influential body of work. A talented songwriter, Chris penned music that is still relevant today and he will be missed by his many thousands of friends and fans, and those musicians who have long been and continue to be influenced by the tremendous volume of ground-breaking music he leaves behind.  Chris played an important role in helping Willie Nelson build his long running career. As the story of Chris's health decline began to circulate and the news that he was in the hospital, Chris's Artist page on Mississippi Music Artists.Com began to receive an unprecedent number of hits from all around the world. I was astounded at the sheer number of his followers. His music talent is amazing and will live forever in the hearts of his fans everywhere. I  am proud to say that I knew Chris and I know that his music has inspired many and will continue to do so. A few months ago I went on record on this website about how the great music artists from Meridian, MS. are quickly deminishing in number and that there is a great opportunity to recognize these artists for their accomplishments while they are still living and to preserve their work for future generations. These opportunities are fading as we continue to lose these great music artists from a state that has produced so many fine music talents.  Chris is another of these talents who we have lost.  He was truly a world class music artists and there will never be another bass player like him. He will be missed by all his friends.    Chris Ethridge Obituary Link (Meridian Star)

Chris Ethridge History
He was a member of the International Submarine Band (ISB) and The Flying Burrito Brothers, and   After Parsons’ death, Ethridge played in 1974 with the Docker Hill Boys, an informal group which included Gene Parsons and Joel Scott Hill. These three refounded the Burritos in 1975 with Sneaky Pete and Gib Guilbeau, recording Flying Again. Ethridge left the Burritos again in February 1976, returning to session work. He has been a session musician throughout his career, recording with many leading country-tinged acts, including Judy Collins, Johnny Winter, Ry Cooder, Leon Russell, Randy Newman, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds and Jackson Browne. He also toured with Willie Nelson’s band for almost eight years, and later played with the Kudzu Kings. Chris also played the character of ‘Easter” in the 1980 movie “Honeysuckle Rose” starring Willie Nelson, Dyan Cannon, Amy Irving and Slim Pickens. 

                                                                    

Anybody familiar with L.A. canyon-rock circa 1970 should be familiar with the name Chris Ethridge. Having more or less made his debut as the R&B-minded bass player with the Flying Burrito Brothers, the man soon went on to become one of Americana’s most in-demand session players, serving with everyone from Phil Ochs to Ry Cooder to Judy Collins. There’s a good chance that you can find him on more than one of your favorite records. A less recognized part of Ethridge’s career, however, is his time served as a member of Hill, Barbata & Ethridge, a tight congregation of musicians who had until the band’s formation only really been seen working the sidelines of the nascent country rock movement. John Barbata probably had the highest profile of any of them, having spent several years manning the kit for sardonic folk rockers The Turtles, while singer Joel Scott Hill had only cut a couple of solo sides for small independent labels out of the west coast.

Chris Ethridge-Bass Player
Meridian, MS.

Chris is one of Meridian's own sons and he is a widely acclaimed music artists. One of my favorite works he played on was Maria Maldaur's Midnight At The Oasis, which I do not see listed here in the discography credits. Recent information points to other unlisted credits including a studio session recording with The Everly Brothers "Stories We Could Tell-1972 Album Tour."  Chris's music history is truly extensive and widely connected to many other great music artists.

Update-Chris Ethridge Music Credits     Grant Ricketts sends this information update about Chris' work in California in earlier years and expresses his regrets on the recent discovery of Chris' passing. Grant's letter references some of Chris' unlisted credits.  
I was saddened recently to learn of Chris' passing. I hadn't seen him in years, but he became a fairly close friend of our family where I grew up in Woodland Hills, CA (the Valley suburb that would head up to Topanga Canyon). He was a few years older when other musicians introduced him to 'my band' (as a 12-year old), he was only 18 at the time. I think my Mom's hospitality was very nice and I think that appealed to his sense of southern hospitality. He and Karen came over on a couple 4ths of July. He even let me borrow his bass a couple of times... ;-)  

I long since took off in another career direction after college and grad-school, and last heard of Chris touring with Wilie Nelson in the late 70's early 80's. Tried to look him up in Nashville a couple of times on business trips, but wasn't successful (that was 'pre-internet' in the 90's).

Anyway, I noted in the discography that it didn't list his work with the Everly Brothers. They did a reunion recording in the summer of '71 or '72. He invited me to sit in and listen to a couple of sessions. Many other notables where there as well; John Sebastian, John Barbata, Buddy Emmonds, Delaney and Bonnie and others that I probably didn't know (I was probably 16 or 17 at the time).  Anyway, obviously an inspirational time for me. Paul Rothschild (of Doors background) produced the sessions at Electra Records in Hollywood. So, not seeing the reference, I thought I could at least forward that note. There are probably several other 'lost' recordings as well, as you and others suggest.

Again, very sad to learn of Chris' passing. I was prompted by a note that came up where Leon Russell was going to play at Yoshi's in the SF bay area soon. Knowing they were friends, I was prompted to do a quick Interent look up.

Regards,
Grant Ricketts




  The Flying Burrito Brothers (Chris Ethridge is on bass guitar in this video)
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THE BYRDS & THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS"Boston Tea Party" 
 23rd February 1969John York / Clarence White / Gram Parsons / Gene Parsons
Chris Hillman / Chris Ethridge / Roger McGuinn / Sneaky Pete Kleinow



Chris Ethridge Sucarnoochee Review Video

Discography

Year	Album	Act	Notes
1968	Safe at Home	International Submarine Band
1969	The Gilded Palace of Sin	Flying Burrito Brothers	co-wrote "Hot Burrito #1 (I'm Your Toy)" and "Hot Burrito #2" with Gram Parsons
1969	Self Titled	John Braden	bass on "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", "Carriage House Song", and "Ribbons of Friendship"
1970	Greatest Hits	Phil Ochs
1970	Washington County	Arlo Guthrie
1970	Alone Together	Dave Mason
1970	Ry Cooder	Ry Cooder
1970	The Candlestickmaker	Ron Elliott	bass on "Molly in the Middle", "Lazy Day", "All Time Green" and "To the City, To the Sea"
1971	L.A. Getaway	Joel Scott Hill, Chris Ethridge, John Barbata
1971	Songs for Beginners	Graham Nash
1971	White Light	Gene Clark
1971	Rita Coolidge	Rita Coolidge
1972	Full Circle	The Doors	bass on "Get Up and Dance"
1972	Graham Nash David Crosby	Graham Nash & David Crosby
1973	Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun	Paul Kantner/Grace Slick / David Freiberg
1973	GP	Gram Parsons	did not play; co-wrote "She" with Parsons
1974	Paradise and Lunch	Ry Cooder
1976	Chicken Skin Music	Ry Cooder
1977	Simple Dreams	Linda Ronstadt	background vocals
1978	Stardust	Willie Nelson
1980	Honeysuckle Rose OST	Willie Nelson	also had a small role in the film
1991	From Another Time	Flying Burrito Brothers	recorded live in 1975
1996	Eye of a Hurricane	Flying Burrito Brothers	bass; vocals on one track
2001	Pretty Paper	Willie Nelson
2002	Red Album: Live Studio Party in Hollywood	Flying Burrito Brothers	recorded live in 1976

Year	Album	Act	Notes
1968	Safe at Home	International Submarine Band
1969	The Gilded Palace of Sin	Flying Burrito Brothers	co-wrote "Hot Burrito #1 (I'm Your Toy)" and "Hot Burrito #2" with Gram Parsons
1969	Self Titled	John Braden	bass on "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", "Carriage House Song", and "Ribbons of Friendship"
1970	Greatest Hits	Phil Ochs
1970	Washington County	Arlo Guthrie
1970	Alone Together	Dave Mason
1970	Ry Cooder	Ry Cooder
1970	The Candlestickmaker	Ron Elliott	bass on "Molly in the Middle", "Lazy Day", "All Time Green" and "To the City, To the Sea"
1971	L.A. Getaway	Joel Scott Hill, Chris Ethridge, John Barbata
1971	Songs for Beginners	Graham Nash
1971	White Light	Gene Clark
1971	Rita Coolidge	Rita Coolidge
1972	Full Circle	The Doors	bass on "Get Up and Dance"
1972	Graham Nash David Crosby	Graham Nash & David Crosby
1973	Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun	Paul Kantner/Grace Slick / David Freiberg
1973	GP	Gram Parsons	did not play; co-wrote "She" with Parsons
1974	Paradise and Lunch	Ry Cooder
1976	Chicken Skin Music	Ry Cooder
1977	Simple Dreams	Linda Ronstadt	background vocals
1978	Stardust	Willie Nelson
1980	Honeysuckle Rose OST	Willie Nelson	also had a small role in the film
1991	From Another Time	Flying Burrito Brothers	recorded live in 1975
1996	Eye of a Hurricane	Flying Burrito Brothers	bass; vocals on one track
2001	Pretty Paper	Willie Nelson
2002	Red Album: Live Studio Party in Hollywood	Flying Burrito Brothers	recorded live in 1976