TCB Band Fan Club

Birthday: 31st January. Star sign: Aquarius

Bass player Jerry Scheff is a native of San Francisco and originally got his start playing in jazz clubs in the Bay Area at the age of 15. Following a three-year stint as a musician in the U.S. Navy, Jerry joined jazz guitarist Barney Kessel in Los Angeles. After achieving a successful debut as a jazz string bassist, he decided to seek out session work instead in the pop/rock world of Los Angeles. With his appearance on Along Comes Mary, a hit by vocal group The Assocoation, the demand for Jerry's services increased considerably. In the following years he worked for the Everly Brothers, Nancy Sinatra, Johnny Rivers, Neil Diamond, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone, Dionne Warwick, Barbara Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Bette Midler, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Leonard Nimoy (of Star Trek fame), and even the Muppets! Jerry played bass parts for The Doors' L.A. Woman album in 1971, leading to his distinctly recognisable contribution to the hit record Riders On The Storm. About this time, he became a member of Elvis Presley's touring band and can be seen performing in the documentary films Elvis: That's The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972) as well as the first ever show broadcast via satellite, Aloha From Hawaii (1973). Though he openly admits to not being an Elvis fan prior to meeting "the King," Presley's artistry won him over and he continued to work with Elvis until his death in 1977. Afterwards, he worked with Bob Dylan on the acclaimed album Street Legal (1978), in addition to session work with Johnny Cash and Richard Thompson. In the '80s and '90s, he toured with Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips and John Denver. Jerry also appeared with Roy Orbison and friends on the TV concert, A Black and White Night (1987).

Following the success of the first ever Elvis - The Concert show in August 1997, Jerry and the TCB Band have toured worldwide with this spectacular show, thrilling audiences from Europe to Asia. To read Jerry's reflections on the show and being reunited with Elvis's band members and backing singers after a twenty year gap, click here.

As well as being a talented musician, song writing is also a passion of Jerry's, with perhaps Fire Down Below being the most well known, certainly amongst Elvis fans. This musical flair must run in the family as Jerry's three sons are all accomplished musicians, with son Jason Scheff filing Peter Cetera's singer and bass guitar spots in the band Chicago.

In 2003, Jerry moved from California to the Scottish borders and lives with his wife Natalie and stepdaughter Annie ... oh... and lets not forget Sox (the dog).

Click on a song title to hear a sound bite or for further information (Sound bites open in Windows Media Player. Click here to download player).

Find out more about Jerry by visiting the following links:

• Jerry's discography (All Music Guide)
• JerryScheff.com
• Jerry's MySpace
• Scheff Diner
• Lakland
• Interview 19 June 2001 (Elvis Australia)
• Interview 2006 (Elvis Collectors Brazil)
• Interview 22 November 2008