Musician. Born Robert Wayne Birch, he was a versatile session and side player for a variety of notable artists, best known for being the bass player for the Elton John band. He began his musical journey with the alto saxophone, playing jazz before switching to bass guitar from his fascination with the Motown sound. Arriving in Los Angeles, in the early 1980s, he started performing in clubs, doing recordings and was involved in a record deal with a band named Fortune which had the hit single "Stacey" on the Billboard 100 for six weeks in 1985. In the early 1990s, he joined Elton John as a bass player and a backing vocalist. With Sir Elton John, as a member of his band for over 20 years, he played in over 1400 concerts world wide. His album credits with Elton John included "Made in England" (1995), "Big Picture" (1997), "Peachtree Road" (2004), and "The Captain and the Kid" (2006). He also played and recorded with countless artists such as B.B. King, Keith Emerson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Cher, The Backstreet Boys, Steve Archer and Sir George Martin.
Musician. Born Robert Wayne Birch, he was a versatile session and side player for a variety of notable artists, best known for being the bass player for the Elton John band. He began his musical journey with the alto saxophone, playing jazz before switching to bass guitar from his fascination with the Motown sound. Arriving in Los Angeles, in the early 1980s, he started performing in clubs, doing recordings and was involved in a record deal with a band named Fortune which had the hit single "Stacey" on the Billboard 100 for six weeks in 1985. In the early 1990s, he joined Elton John as a bass player and a backing vocalist. With Sir Elton John, as a member of his band for over 20 years, he played in over 1400 concerts world wide. His album credits with Elton John included "Made in England" (1995), "Big Picture" (1997), "Peachtree Road" (2004), and "The Captain and the Kid" (2006). He also played and recorded with countless artists such as B.B. King, Keith Emerson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Cher, The Backstreet Boys, Steve Archer and Sir George Martin.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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