I always write about drummers – sometimes forgetting that we don’t all operate in a vacuum. A successful group requires a tight rhythm section. In many instances, a symbiotic relationship can develop between the bassist and the drummer – creating a groove that is unforgettable. Some noted examples include Mike Clark & Paul Jackson - David Garibaldi & Francis Rocco Prestia – Tony Williams & Ron Carter & (Holyoke, Mass. native) Hal Blaine & Carole Kaye -- among numerous others
One of my all-time favorite bass players is West Springfield, Massachusetts native Guy DeVito.
Guy lived in the same neighborhood as drummer William ‘Benji’ Benjamin. After hearing Benji’s drumming, Guy asked him about playing in a band. Soon afterwards, this led to the formation of the band ‘FAT’ circa 1968.
The first time I saw Guy play live with FAT… It was a revelation! After recently purchasing their new self-titled RCA release ‘FAT’ I listened to it non-stop, memorizing all of the drum parts. As a high school student in the spring of 1970 -- I was excited at the prospect of finally seeing them perform on stage.
The interplay between Guy and drummer William ‘Benji’ Benjamin had the crowd literally dancing in the aisles with Guy’s bass patterns and Benji’s kick drum working together as a single unit… Playing within the inter-weaving melodies of guitar players Michael Benson, and Jim (K) Kaminski - coupled with Peter J. Newland’s amazing lead vocals.
Many ‘FAT’ originals employed time and feel changes within the individual songs like ‘Over The Hill’ -‘Shape I’m In’ –‘Duck Sweat’, ‘Black Sunday’, ‘Country Girl’, and ‘House On the Corner’.
Guy DeVito’s amazing bass-playing talent, his ever-expanding creativity, his versatility, and his unbounded artistic expression, have been part of my life for more than five decades, both onstage and in the recording studio. Guy’s hallmark is his ability to hold down a groove and simultaneously improvise melodically. Those attributes in combination create a unique style... an unmistakable signature sound. As soon as you hear it - - you know it’s Guy.
-- Peter J. Newland
Every drummer knows how vital, wonderful and rare it is to find a bass player with whom you connect. It’s even better when that synergy happens the first time you play together. Guy DeVito’s style is flowing. It’s elastic and melodic and finds a groove in any style. If you’re a musician blessed with this elusive kind of relationship, cherish and appreciate what a gift you have been given.
-- Drummer Tim Smith
“Produced by Eddie Jason, 1970's "FAT" is a fantastic and completely overlooked near-classic. At least to my ears this Massachusetts-based quintet seemed to have everything required for major stardom - a great singer in Peter Newland, killer chops including a pair of impressive lead guitarists in Michael Benson and James Kaminski, and a rock steady rhythm section in drummer William Benjamin and bassist Guy DeVito. That line up coupled with more than their share of first-rate material that was simultaneously tuneful and lyrically interesting made for a great LP”.
-- RDTEN1 Bad Cat Records
In 1983, I had the opportunity to work with Guy in a group called ‘Airplay’. Our repertoire featured many of MTV’s greatest hits, and Billboard’s Top 100. The band also included Mike DeVito on lead guitar, Jamie Buscemi on keyboards, & Roy Dudley on lead vocals. With Guy DeVito on bass the groove was always there. Locked in like the a Bull Terrier… Latching on - and never letting go.
“Bass player Guy DeVito always knows where he is in the song. His timing is impeccable and solid regardless of signature or tempo changes. If you follow Guy, you’ll always be in the right place with the right time. -- And most of all, he’s a wonderful human being”
-- Drummer Billy Arnold
“Working with Guy DeVito is just like sailing on a calm and serene ocean - Beautiful waves, sunshine, and a never-ending good time… With Guy, there is no pressure whatsoever.”
-- Drummer Chet Pasek
I remember my drum teacher Joe Sefcik once telling me to always watch the dancers. He would say – David - “If no one is dancing -- there’s something absent from the music”.
Joe’s lessons took my listening skills to another level. After that, every time I played an album, or saw a band live, my focus was on how the rhythm section worked together.
Joe explained that the drummer and bass player form the rhythm section - creating an energy that the audience responds to. Joe Morello, his most famous student obviously learned those lessons well.
He and Dave Brubeck Quartet bassist Eugene Wright created a rhythmic powerhouse both live and on record. Joe Sefcik also cited his friend and colleague, Chuck Andrus - long-time bassist for Woody Herman.
Joe saw the Swingin’ Herman Herd perform many times and was always amazed at how drummer Jake Hanna and Chuck communicated with each other - always pushing the band forward with their incredible tightness and swing.
Previously, Chuck had played with Joe Morello in a group called ‘The Springfield Rifles’ which also featured saxophonist Phil Woods, and guitarist Sal Salvador.
I also had the opportunity to play numerous gigs with Chuck Andrus in the 1980’s. Chuck had recently moved back to Western, Massachusetts. Jazz pianist, Ed Cerveny hired him right away. I had been playing with ‘The Ed Cerveny Quartet’ at the time and was thrilled to be working with Chuck. This was the first of many gigs we did together. Like Guy DeVito, he was always in the pocket with a never-ending groove. In essence, the bassist and drummer are the heartbeat of the band.
Guy DeVito’s ability to play at a high level in multiple musical genres... I guess you would call it his “eclecticism”, is one quality I have always admired. I think it stems from his willingness to take artistic risks. In 1973, Guy already an established rock and blues bassist, dove into the Afro-American Jazz Studies program at U Mass. Amherst that brought jazz legends Max Roach, Archie Shepp, and Dr. Billy Taylor in the early 1970s... It was a bold leap that pushed Guy’s playing to a whole new level, and further enhanced an already mesmerizing style.
-- Peter J. Newland
Guy DeVito is also a record producer who has performed with a multitude of artists, including Felix Pappalardi, John Kay and Steppenwolf, Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy, Stevie Wonder, Steve Cropper, Jeff Pevar, The Shaboo All-Stars, Little Jimmy & the Bad Boys and The Agouti Bros Band. Guy was also the musical director of The Agouti Nightclub on the island of Montserrat.
Guy’s record production credits include the worldwide hit “Hot, Hot, Hot by Buster Poindexter (David Johansen) – Salamander Crossing's self-titled debut album – In addition to ‘The Minstrelsy’ a collection of Celtic songs by Robert Emmett Fitzgerald.
“I have a lot of history with Guy DeVito. In 1980, he asked me to join an ensemble he had put together on the island of Montserrat… It was a really incredible experience. The combination of his immense musicality, unique sense of humor, and his infectious joy of life have been an inspiration to me ever since. Guy is one if my dearest friends.”
-- Jeff Pevar
“Guy and I go way back to the 1960's. Since then, we have played in so many varied musical situations… Yet, I continue to be amazed by his skill and sensitivity. We’ve gigged together on the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Montserrat. I even got to play, for a short time, with him, in his well-known group, FAT. We played nearly all types of music including original creations. In virtually every style - Guy added class, sensitivity, and singular creative arrangements. Oh, and by the way, he's actually a really nice GUY”
-- Drummer Tim Griffin
"Guy and I met on a gig at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Massachusetts. We soon discovered many mutual friends, and ended up playing on all sorts of gigs together. Whether it was a studio session, or a live gig… I was super-happy to see Guy’s name on the list. He’s always great company, with monster ears, and a musical sensitivity I’ve enjoyed so much. Ever encouraging, ever humorous - Guy’s presence in any musical endeavor was always a pleasure. A noted contributor to the local musical scene for many years… Guy was a foundational member of the group ‘FAT’. He is beloved by many in this region and beyond. Grateful to consider a Guy a close friend."
-- Becca Byram
“What a Guy”… Guy, I’ve known as an icon of the Western Mass. music scene. I’ve so enjoyed the impeccable taste he always brings to the music of the moment. He has elephant ears (musically), and whether it’s a live gig or in the studio, his offerings are always primo! Along with being an innovator, he’s affable, funny, and a most enjoyable guy to hang with”.
-- Michael Oakland
-- Guy DeVito
It’s not very often that people have friendships for almost 50 years. The truth is, I was a fan of Guy DeVito’s long before we ever shook hands. I first saw him perform in the late 60s with “FAT” at the legendary Woodrose Ballroom in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. The band knocked me out raising an entirely new benchmark! Being a musician, and working primarily the same Western MA/New England circuit, in a band called “ORT,” our paths would cross on occasion. Ironically, soon after both bands landed RCA record deals, our paths crossed a bit more frequently.
Throughout the mid 1970s after working in the LA area, I returned to Western Mass. in 1980. At that time, guitarist Jim Kaminski was in the process rebuilding his power trio. Jim recruited both Guy and myself - performing as “Little Jimmy and the Bad Boys.”
That’s when I forged my friendship with Guy. We got on so well that we started working together on numerous projects, including John Kay and Steppenwolf. We actually got to a point where we would market ourselves as “The Road Rash Rhythm Section.” Guy was so impressive he was embraced by the entire Steppenwolf organization, where in the studio, he created and performed many bass parts on the band’s new album material.
Also, while in Nashville, we were invited to and performed with Steppenwolf at Jimmy Buffett‘s housewarming / jam session along with numerous Nashville A-list musicians. Then was the time when John Kay was involved with an All-Star blues fundraiser in Mississippi. The band members were: John Kay (Steppenwolf), Steve Cropper (Blues Brothers), Mike Utley (Jimmy Buffett), Kim Wilson, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and of course, Guy and myself (The Road Rash Rhythm Section).
While Guy and I traveled back-and-forth working out of Nashville where I resided at the time, Peter Newland of ‘FAT’ was down there as well performing and writing music. One evening, Peter, Guy, and myself got together over dinner and bounced around the odds of getting ‘FAT’ back together. Needless to say the rest is history. Via Peter and Guy, I was available and offered the “drum chair” at the first two reunion concerts (in 1992 and ‘93) ironically by the very band I was a fan of back in the 1960s.
Life truly is a circle! Summing it all up, “The Road Rash Rhythm Section” isn’t just a clever name… It’s also a testament to miles traveled and venues shared, along with laughs and inside jokes that nobody else would understand. To me, Guy DeVito is far more than a great friend. He’s a brother!!
-- Drummer Ron Hurst (Steppenwolf)
At present, Guy DeVito -- Who is always in demand, continues to play nearly every week with a variety of groups. While ‘FAT’ recently performed again at their annual ‘Lions In Winter’ Holiday Show at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Massachusetts.