Biography
Timothy B. Schmit arrived on the scene roughly five years too late to join California's initial folk-rock explosion. His route nevertheless echoed the progression taken by Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, and Chris Hillman as they moved from folk roots into rock, except that Schmit was still in his mid-teens and therefore postponed any professional entry until later. He offset the delay by assuming central positions in Poco and the Eagles, two country-rock groups that sprang straight from the folk-rock era, and reached his commercial peak across the 1970s and early 1980s.
Born in Oakland, California, in 1947, Schmit spent his childhood in Sacramento as the son of a vacuum-cleaner salesman whose routes along the Pacific Coast regularly exposed the family to live music. Schmit began on violin before adding trombone, ukulele, and guitar; he also discovered a capable singing voice. Although too young to follow Elvis Presley closely when rock & roll first appeared, he reached exactly the right age for the early-1960s folk revival. He first played bass in the Sacramento trio Tim, Tom & Ron, which became the Contenders once surf music gained traction in 1962 and 1963. After the British Invasion eclipsed surf, the Contenders re-formed as the New Breed, adopted longer hair, and aligned their style with the Merseybeat sound. The group opened shows for Big Brother & the Holding Company, Herman's Hermits, and Sonny & Cher, raising hopes of a sustained career.
While Schmit attended Sacramento State College as a psychology major, the New Breed had already transformed into the folk-rock band Glad and secured a contract with ABC Records. Before the deal materialized, Schmit encountered former Buffalo Springfield guitarist Richie Furay, then assembling what became Poco; Schmit auditioned for bass and vocals, yet the position went to Randy Meisner. Glad issued Feelin' Glad on ABC in 1968, but the album sold poorly. When Meisner departed Poco just before their debut recording, Schmit, the original runner-up, joined the band for several live dates. Poco demonstrated their commitment by placing one of Schmit's compositions, "Hard Luck," on the B-side of the 1969 Furay single "My Kind of Love." By early 1970 Schmit had become a permanent member, making his recorded debut on the self-titled second Poco album.
The following seven years brought both creative satisfaction and commercial disappointment. Poco released a series of acclaimed albums that incorporated an unusually wide range of styles, including a collaboration with Memphis guitarist Steve Cropper, yet consistent mainstream success eluded them. They earned strong critical support and steady second-tier bookings while sharing early bills with Longbranch Pennywhistle, whose lineup featured John David Souther, Ry Cooder, and Glenn Frey. After Longbranch Pennywhistle dissolved in 1971, Poco continued to hover on the edge of a breakthrough; their albums typically charted in the middle ranks, and Schmit contributed "Keep on Believin'" (co-written with Furay) to the second LP, "Hear That Music" to Deliverin', and the title track to From the Inside. Additional Schmit songs appeared on later releases: "I Can See Everything" on A Good Feelin' to Know, "Here We Go Again" on Crazy Eyes, and "Whatever Happened to Your Smile" on Cantamos. Despite widespread critical praise for Poco as the leading country-rock act, sales never matched the records' quality. Meanwhile the Eagles, who had already enlisted Meisner after his exit from Poco, maintained more consistent chart momentum.
In spring 1977 Meisner left the Eagles following growing tensions over the increasing control exercised by Glenn Frey and Don Henley; even the multi-platinum success of Hotel California and its accompanying tour failed to keep him in the band. Schmit received the invitation to replace him and accepted immediately. He participated in the remaining Hotel California dates and in the sessions for the group's final studio album, The Long Run, which appeared in late 1979. His bass playing stands prominently in the mix on the title track, and he earned a co-writing credit on "I Can't Tell You Why," released as the album's first single, which reached number eight. The subsequent tours and multi-platinum shipments of both The Long Run and Eagles Live (1980) finally delivered the broad recognition Schmit had sought for more than a decade.
The Eagles announced an official split, described at the time as a hiatus, in 1981. Even before the breakup was finalized, Schmit placed "So Much in Love" on the soundtrack to Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), an album that also featured his former Poco and Eagles colleagues and achieved multi-platinum status. With time now available for outside projects, Schmit launched a solo career that yielded six albums over the next three decades: Playin' It Cool (1984), Timothy B. (1987), Tell Me the Truth (1990), Feed the Fire (2001), Expando (2009), and Leap of Faith (2016). The records explored country, pop, and light jazz directions, though none matched the commercial reach of his Eagles work. He rejoined Poco for the 1984 album Inamorata and supplied backing vocals on numerous sessions for other artists, among them Steely Dan, Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Julian Lennon, Ringo Starr, Warren Zevon, and Spinal Tap. He collaborated with former bandmates including Richie Furay on various projects and contributed vocals to Vince Gill's recording of "I Can't Tell You Why" for the 1993 Common Thread album, whose strong sales prompted the Eagles' reunion tour, album, and concert video. Schmit has also performed as singer and bassist with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, which at times included fellow Eagle Joe Walsh. While never attaining the solo visibility of Glenn Frey or Don Henley, Schmit's distinctive high tenor continues to attract listeners, and he remains among the most active alumni of both the Eagles and Poco.
Born in Oakland, California, in 1947, Schmit spent his childhood in Sacramento as the son of a vacuum-cleaner salesman whose routes along the Pacific Coast regularly exposed the family to live music. Schmit began on violin before adding trombone, ukulele, and guitar; he also discovered a capable singing voice. Although too young to follow Elvis Presley closely when rock & roll first appeared, he reached exactly the right age for the early-1960s folk revival. He first played bass in the Sacramento trio Tim, Tom & Ron, which became the Contenders once surf music gained traction in 1962 and 1963. After the British Invasion eclipsed surf, the Contenders re-formed as the New Breed, adopted longer hair, and aligned their style with the Merseybeat sound. The group opened shows for Big Brother & the Holding Company, Herman's Hermits, and Sonny & Cher, raising hopes of a sustained career.
While Schmit attended Sacramento State College as a psychology major, the New Breed had already transformed into the folk-rock band Glad and secured a contract with ABC Records. Before the deal materialized, Schmit encountered former Buffalo Springfield guitarist Richie Furay, then assembling what became Poco; Schmit auditioned for bass and vocals, yet the position went to Randy Meisner. Glad issued Feelin' Glad on ABC in 1968, but the album sold poorly. When Meisner departed Poco just before their debut recording, Schmit, the original runner-up, joined the band for several live dates. Poco demonstrated their commitment by placing one of Schmit's compositions, "Hard Luck," on the B-side of the 1969 Furay single "My Kind of Love." By early 1970 Schmit had become a permanent member, making his recorded debut on the self-titled second Poco album.
The following seven years brought both creative satisfaction and commercial disappointment. Poco released a series of acclaimed albums that incorporated an unusually wide range of styles, including a collaboration with Memphis guitarist Steve Cropper, yet consistent mainstream success eluded them. They earned strong critical support and steady second-tier bookings while sharing early bills with Longbranch Pennywhistle, whose lineup featured John David Souther, Ry Cooder, and Glenn Frey. After Longbranch Pennywhistle dissolved in 1971, Poco continued to hover on the edge of a breakthrough; their albums typically charted in the middle ranks, and Schmit contributed "Keep on Believin'" (co-written with Furay) to the second LP, "Hear That Music" to Deliverin', and the title track to From the Inside. Additional Schmit songs appeared on later releases: "I Can See Everything" on A Good Feelin' to Know, "Here We Go Again" on Crazy Eyes, and "Whatever Happened to Your Smile" on Cantamos. Despite widespread critical praise for Poco as the leading country-rock act, sales never matched the records' quality. Meanwhile the Eagles, who had already enlisted Meisner after his exit from Poco, maintained more consistent chart momentum.
In spring 1977 Meisner left the Eagles following growing tensions over the increasing control exercised by Glenn Frey and Don Henley; even the multi-platinum success of Hotel California and its accompanying tour failed to keep him in the band. Schmit received the invitation to replace him and accepted immediately. He participated in the remaining Hotel California dates and in the sessions for the group's final studio album, The Long Run, which appeared in late 1979. His bass playing stands prominently in the mix on the title track, and he earned a co-writing credit on "I Can't Tell You Why," released as the album's first single, which reached number eight. The subsequent tours and multi-platinum shipments of both The Long Run and Eagles Live (1980) finally delivered the broad recognition Schmit had sought for more than a decade.
The Eagles announced an official split, described at the time as a hiatus, in 1981. Even before the breakup was finalized, Schmit placed "So Much in Love" on the soundtrack to Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), an album that also featured his former Poco and Eagles colleagues and achieved multi-platinum status. With time now available for outside projects, Schmit launched a solo career that yielded six albums over the next three decades: Playin' It Cool (1984), Timothy B. (1987), Tell Me the Truth (1990), Feed the Fire (2001), Expando (2009), and Leap of Faith (2016). The records explored country, pop, and light jazz directions, though none matched the commercial reach of his Eagles work. He rejoined Poco for the 1984 album Inamorata and supplied backing vocals on numerous sessions for other artists, among them Steely Dan, Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Julian Lennon, Ringo Starr, Warren Zevon, and Spinal Tap. He collaborated with former bandmates including Richie Furay on various projects and contributed vocals to Vince Gill's recording of "I Can't Tell You Why" for the 1993 Common Thread album, whose strong sales prompted the Eagles' reunion tour, album, and concert video. Schmit has also performed as singer and bassist with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, which at times included fellow Eagle Joe Walsh. While never attaining the solo visibility of Glenn Frey or Don Henley, Schmit's distinctive high tenor continues to attract listeners, and he remains among the most active alumni of both the Eagles and Poco.
Albums
